| NCAR Issues Mobilization Assessment |
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The NC Association of REALTORS® flexed its muscles last fall and this spring and went 20-0 in defeating a proposed transfer tax in counties statewide. This perfect record saved property sellers $55 million this year alone! But as you also know, our work in defending the real estate industry is far from done. Our 42,439 REALTORS®, as well as affiliate members and private property owners from Murphy to Manteo, are under attack. Recognizing this to be true, our Board of Directors on June 10th approved a five-step action plan that long term provides a $10 million commitment to the Issues Mobilization Fund. It includes a one-time $70 assessment ($50 if paid before September 30th) and a $25 dues increase, beginning with the January 2009 billing statement. Without question, this was a visionary step for NC REALTORS®! When properly funded, we are the most powerful association in North Carolina. Now, moving forward, we have the financial resources to combat the legislative issues confronting us. Among them are:
And at least for the foreseeable future, we will need to defend our clients – and ourselves, as property owners – against the transfer tax, which we coined the “home tax.” Nineteen counties placed the home tax on their ballots in either November or May (including Gates County both times), and in all 19, we soundly defeated the measure –- in most by a 3-to-1 margin. Our success was due to a powerful, collaborative effort that educated the public through an impassioned, cohesive campaign that demonstrated the transfer tax, well, it’s a bad idea! Why an assessment and dues notice now, you ask? As we frequently say in our business, timing is everything. The NC REALTORS®’ Board of Directors is made up of professionals just like you – 160 of our most dedicated volunteer leaders. All of us are suffering in this economy. However, it is during this time – especially when our profession is under attack – that we must be properly funded and able to react quickly and decisively. Consider it an insurance policy to ensure that while you’re hard at work, strategies are being developed and executed boldly and effectively to address proposed legislation in the halls of the legislature and onerous regulations proposed by state agencies. Friends, I love being a REALTOR®, especially in North Carolina, where our Quality of Life is, I believe, unsurpassed. We must maintain the attributes that have made our state great, and chief among them are the protection of private property rights and housing affordability. Today, we stand taller and stronger than ever, united in the preservation of the American Dream and what it represents. This commitment to our Issues Mobilization Fund is a defining moment for the NC Association of REALTORS®. I’m fiercely proud of who we are and what we do, and that we’re taking this journey together. Thank you! Sincerely, “If public opinion is a guide, the (transfer tax) campaign worked … “The REALTORS® have come out with guns blazing … “If a tax on services is passed, we’d have to pay $280 in new taxes on a $4,000 commission.” “We recognize that financially this is a difficult time for REALTORS®. But our opponents don’t care, and they’re ready to attack if we’re vulnerable.”
Asheville Board of REALTORS®Your local Board has been discussing this assessment since we were advised of it and have decided to pay the assessment on behalf of members who were active as of July 1, 2008. In light of the current economic situation and to assist its members, you will not have to pay the assessment yourself. Related Links |
