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REALTORS Political Action Committee:
Financial assistance is contributed to the campaigns of individuals running for state, local and national office after a thorough review of the candidate's background and position on issues of particular concern to property owners and the real estate professional. Input is received from Local Boards and individual members before contributions are made. All funding decisions for State House or Senate candidates are made by the RPAC Trustees. Local Boards may request money for local candidates out of their Local Board Entitlement. Most boards receive a portion of the money they raise for RPAC back for use in local campaigns. The RPAC Trustees also make recommendations to NAR on contribution for federal candidates. Staff contact: Paul Gasss--glass@ohiorealtors.org or Shauna Darfus--darfus@ohiorealtors.org
2010 Local Board RPAC Information Non-Deductible Percentages: The Tax Reform Act of 1993 made the portion of dues paid to organizations which is spent to lobby the State and Federal governments non-deductible for income tax purposes and requires this to be disclosed to members on their dues invoice or the organization must pay an excise tax. For 2010 OAR dues of $110, 18% or $20 is non-deductible for the member's income tax due to OAR lobbying efforts. NAR computes 33% or $26 or their dues to be non-deductible. NAR's $35 public awareness assessment does qualify as deductible dues. The total OAR and NAR non-deductible portion of dues is $46. Active Military Duty: The waiver of OAR and NAR dues for REALTORS and their spouses called into active militry duty, originally approved for 2002 dues after the 9/11/01 tragedies, has been extended to cover 2010 dues. Ohio Club NAR/OAR Candidate Questionnaires (pdf format) NAR Questionnaire Fundraising Information: (pdf documents) RPAC Handbook...The goal of the REALTORS Political Action Committee is to organize the political action constituency. RPAC raises voluntary funds and makes contributions to political candidates at the federal, state and local levels. The RPAC handbook outlines all aspects of the program. For information on the RPAC handbook or the campaign contact Paul Glass at glass@ohiorealtors.org. RPAC Contribution Form (pdf document) Top 10 Legal Questions on RPAC Fundraising & The One-Third Rule -- article on corporate fundraising rules RPAC Candidate Contribution Request form (pdf interactive form) For your convenience the following items have been placed online to assist you in your RPAC fundrasing efforts: Giving little people a voice Giving little people a voice... This month marks a major push in our board's effort to make noise through its annual REALTORS Political Action Committee (RPAC) fundraising campaign. After all, a PAC is nothing more than association of people who band to promote common issues to elected and appointed officials. RPAC is a lot of individuals who want to be heard by the political machine. But a great deal of noise is being made now by those who question the reason for PACs and who want to abolish them. It's a good idea...not! Before the legalization of PACs, only organized labor, big businesses and the rich could count on getting an audience with our legislators. Now, the little people who give $10 can be part of a larger group which together, can raise a ruckus. In our industry, each of our members is the president of his or her own small business. Your entrepreneurial skills are required to keep a vigilant eye on profits. Our profits are directly affected by the economy, and the economy is directly affected by the political and governmental process. It's time to affect the process! You make an investment in your business, and here are some very good reasons to make the investment in RPAC: More importantly, our RPAC dollars come back home and can help our fellow REALTORS in elections for local offices as well as support local issues. Very impressive accomplishments for a few bucks, don't you think? There are so many reasons to make a investment in RPAC, we can't address them all here. But we can address the reasons we've heard why REALTORS don't contribute. Whether you believe in PACs or support the same candidates, or have any other political or philosophical objection, the fact is, RPAC exists and works to protect the rights of all REALTORS as well as property owners. The bottom line... RPAC is an investment in our business and our livelihoods. Please don't delay, invest in RPAC today. by Darlene B. Breen, The mood of the people was getting ugly: war was imminent. The rebels insisted on their independence. They fought long and hard, a guerilla war against an oppressive government. They fought for their rights, they fought for their freedom. And when they had won, the elders convened to write some rules for their government. It was to be a government for the people; a government in which the rich did not rule by virtue of their wealth. To that end, they established rules by which all the people would live. And all the people could choose who they wanted to represent them in the new government. The elders quickly realized that this system could easily lead them down the same path that had created their old oppressive government. The rich would simply use their wealth to influence the people to choose them as representatives, and thus, keep the power. They wanted to avoid the old formula that material wealth yields political power. So the elders wrote in the new rules that the people could band together, pool their resources and support the representatives they wanted. This, they reasoned, would allow a vast number of people the ability to participate in the political process. In other words, the single person with a thousand dollars could be balanced by a thousand people with only one dollar each. No more would the rich be able to so easily change their wealth into political power and concentrate that power to control the masses. The people could band togetther as they had during the war to overcome their oppressors. Did it work? Of course. This is not a story about some third world country gaining its independence in the 20th Century. It's about the United States of America in the 20th Century. It's about the United States of America and the wisdom of our founding Fathers. It's about that banding together and pooling of resources that today we call political action committees or PACs. PAC is not a dirty word. It's not a bad thing. In fact, it's a good thing, a necessary thing. Our Founding Fathers thought so and made sure the power to band together and pool resources was part of the new rules. In the Federalist Papers, James Madison encouraged the diversity of political interests as a way to keep the few from controlling the many. And today, there are 4,000 PACs registered in the U.S. I believe in PACs, especially the one that looks out for my best interest -- RPAC. For a small investment, you, too, can participate in the political process. You can invest in a PAC that protects private property rights for everyone and helps protect your rights to earn a living selling real estate. In the recent past, RPAC has: PACs are not bad things. In fact, they are good things, very good things. When I ask for your support of RPAC, I know I'm in good company. Our Founding Fathers expected it of you. Owning, renting, developing and disposing of private property in a free market are inalienable rights of every American. REALTORS are fortunate to live and work in the United States, helping the citizens of this country to participate in this process every day. Think about it: We Americans are lucky! We live in a country where we're not only allowed to be involved in politics; we're actually encouraged to be involved. George Washington told us, "Government is the offspring of your own choice." Thomas Jefferson warned, "If only the people become inattentive to public affairs--I, and Congress, and Assemblies, judges and governors shall all become wolves." Theodore Roosevelt flatly declared that, "The first duty of an American citizen is that he shall work in politics." And Abraham Lincoln said, "Whenever the people grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right to amend it." By contrast, more than half the people on earth have no political rights. They live in countries controlled by rulers and systems that harass, imprison -- even put to death -- many of those who try to make their voices heard collectively and politically. We Americans, however, have unlimited opportunities for political involvement. We are free to vote, to contribute to our choice of candidates, party and political action committees -- such as the REALTORS Political Action Committee (RPAC). With this opportunity goes the corresponding responsibility to protect the rights of all property owners. The REALTORS Political Action Committee believes that only through REALTOR involvement on the local level can we effectively influence the election of persons to office who are dedicated to the principles of our free enterprise system. RPAC was formed for this very reason -- to organize and promote the REALTOR viewpoint on public policy issues. The political community gives serious consideration to the views of people who participate in the political process. Issues such as private property rights, sign bans, point-of-sale ordinances are too important to leave up to the politicians. These issues scream out for our involvement as REALTORS in RPAC and in our representative form of Democracy. REALTORS, with their vast network of public contacts can be politically effective. As OAR Past President John Lynch is fond of saying, "Remember this: For all its faults, political advocacy is just like good advertising -- it doesn't cost you money, it makes you money. In fact, your very livelihood and way of life depend upon it. " RPAC - Politics is not a Spectator Sport The (Year) RPAC campaign is well under way, and the (name of) Board of REALTORS is counting on your support in the vigilant battle to protect private property rights. This is a very important year in the political arena and a very important year for REALTORS and the REALTOR Political Action Committee (RPAC)! While some REALTORS may have questions about RPAC, the question which most frequently goes unasked is: No one should have to remind you how important RPAC is to our continued success in the real estate industry, but everyone should feel better knowing there are fellow REALTORS out there dedicated to keeping track of how our elected officials protect rights of all property owners. Without RPAC, legislators would have free reign to take away your rights to make a living! Every detail, from taxes to the forms you will fill out, could well be controlled by people who don't have your best interests at heart. With RPAC, REALTORS have a fighting chance to make their voices heard at the local, state and federal levels of government. Just last year, RPAC supported candidates on the local level had a success rate of over 90%. That means that REALTOR issues will get a fair hearing throughout Ohio. The list of RPAC accomplishments is very, very lengthy. Although you may not know it, there are people who make sure your rights are protected, but they need your support. What you don't know can hurt you. So won't you please take a moment and write your check to RPAC today. Face it - politics is not a spectator sport. GET INVOLVED! Promoting RPAC by Answering Objections to RPAC Objection: Objection: Objection: Objection: Objection: Objection: Objection: Objection: Objection: Objection: 20 reasons to make an annual contribution to RPAC OAR is not a single-issue interest group. It represents all issues affecting residential and commercial property owners, individual private property rights and property management concerns. Property tax reduction. OAR and your local board have consistently fought for property tax relief in Ohio. Whether it be defeating a statewide transfer tax or protecting the 12% property tax rollback relief for all Ohio homeowners, your association, through RPAC remains a major force in this ongoing debate. Private property rights. OAR, along with a statewide coalition of business, industry and agricultural organizations, initiated legislation that requires state and local governmental agencies to formally assess the merits of a taking's action before moving forward with the taking of someone's private property. Land use issues. OAR continually works to ensure that the rights of private property owners are protected in legislation and administrative rules in areas such as wetlands, abandoned industrial sites, high risk erosion areas and the rights of private property owners. Environmental issues. OAR has been successful in passing legislation that brings increased accountability to the Ohio EPA by requiring that cost benefit analysis and scientific documentation be presented when new environmental laws or regulations are being considered. Transfer taxes. OAR and your local board, has consistently opposed any legislative measure proposed by state and local governments to raise property transfer taxes as a source of revenue. Impact fees. OAR has been successful in defeating legislative efforts which would have established a $5,000 per unit impact tax on all newly built homes in Ohio, a proposal which would have had disastrous implications for Ohio's homeowners and homebuilders. Growth limitation policies. OAR has successfully opposed legislation that would have created moratoriums and other prohibitions against development. Preservation Fees. OAR has defeated repeated legislative attempts to give authority to local governments to assess a 1% village preservation tax on the conveyance of real estate deeds. Sales Taxes. OAR passed legislation that exempts REALTORS from paying sales taxes on freely distributed advertising materials. License law changes. OAR was successful in clarifying a number of license law issues including dual agency, buyer brokerage, etc. Commercial broker's lien law. OAR has passed legislation that allows commercial brokers to file a lien against property to ensure payment of their commission when a transaction is completed. Mandatory property condition disclosure. OAR initiated and was successful in getting legislation passed that requires sellers to disclose known defects in their property. This legislation serves to protect all parties of the transaction -- seller, buyer, and salesperson. 72 hour cooling off period for real property sales. OAR defeated legislation which would have allowed buyers of real estate a 72 hour cooling off period after the sale had already been agreed to. Homestead exemption. OAR worked successfully to expand income eligibility to $20,800 for the homestead exemption. FHA. NAR and OAR prevented the reduction and elimination of the Federal Housing Administration. Capital gains tax reduction. OAR and NAR obtained a reduction in the capital gains tax that was taken away in the 1986 Tax Reform Act. Mortgage Interest Deduction. OAR, NAR and your local Board, successfully fought efforts which would have eliminated or placed limitations on the Mortgage Interest Deduction. Your Voice...Your Investment. The REALTORS Political Action Committee is your best investment in real estate. In today's political arena, you need strength in numbers. By joining thousands of other REALTORS, you make a real impact with those who count - local, state and federal policy makers. Creating and Implementing a Fundraising Plan A. Setting fundraising goals Raising money for RPAC requires careful planning, a high degree of organization, and thorough implementation of your fundraising plan. A carefully thought out fundraising plan will establish the goals, time schedules and organizational structure for the year. A written script for everyone involved to follow will help everyone work together to have a successful fundraising year. 1. Set goals Percentage of participation goal. In recent years, nearly 50% of NAR members nationwide contributed to RPAC. A very basic rule of fundraising is the more people that are giving on a regular basis, the more money you will raise. Always set a participation goal higher than the previous year's level. Organizational goal. Where do you want to be as a Local Board? Do you want to raise the most money of any board in your state? Or maybe you want to have a minimum of 'Life Members". The more goals that are set, the greater chance for increased enthusiasm and opportunity for success. 2. Define methods to achieve goals 3. Establish time frames 4. Assign responsibility B. Contributor files Fundraising becomes a lot simpler if you know who your contributors are. Be sure to keep your Donor File as current as possible. Post any new contributions, with the codes previously mentioned that identify the mailing or other activity that prompted the donation. At the minimum, each individual file should include: In addition, it is a good idea to have a section for comments. In this area pertinent information such as Club memberships, past awards, community involvement, personal relationships with state/local leadership, and other pints of interest. An informed fundraiser is a successful fundraiser. Finally, each record should have a detailed history of the donor's past contributions, in addition to how they donated. Was it from a direct mail solicitation? If so, which one? Have they attended the Rodeo fundraiser each year for the past 5 years? Why not ask them to play a more prominent role this year? This information is invaluable when deciding how much of a contribution to ask for from a particular donor. If Mr. Jones gave $80 over the course of last year (say $40, $30, and $10 separate contributions), this year you could approach him and say "Thank you for all of your support last year, did you realize you were only $20 away from becoming a Capitol Club Member"? A thorough contributor file will reveal what motivates people to give and their giving patterns. Those are two large hurdles to have already cleared when racing to the finish line of receiving a contribution. Characteristics of a Superb Fundraiser Why is it "hard" to ask for money? There are several perceptions associated with fundraising that may cause individuals to not enjoy, or even undertake, a fundraising campaign. They do not want to be seen as beggars. I don't want to go around asking for handouts. They do not want to impose. The "Do unto Others" reason - I wouldn't want somebody hounding me for a donation. Talking about money is "taboo" or private. How much money they can afford to contribute is not my business, let them donate if they want. They fear rejection. What will I do if they say no? They fear losing social or professional status. Will they feel awkward being asked for money by me? Will this put a strain on our relationship? All of the above perceptions are flawed for one major reason. Fundraising for RPAC is not about only asking people for money -- as a fundraiser you are providing the prospect with the opportunity to contribute to the continued success of their livelihood. There are four basic qualities that will enable any fundraiser to overcome these obstacles and conduct a successful fundraising campaign. Take pride in the cause. An enthusiastic and energetic solicitor will generate more contributions (both dollar and number) than a solicitor who looks as though he/she is in pain while asking for money. RPAC truly is your best investment in Real Estate -- everyone working to improve RPAC should be proud of our organization and the work we have done. Rather than focusing on the money, focus on the opportunity you are giving the prospect to take a pro-active role in the industry. Look at it as you doing a favor for the prospect by allowing him/her to contribute rather than the prospect doing a favor for you by writing the check. Remember, you are not asking for this money for yourself to help pay bills -- the prospect is making an investment in their industry. Emphasize the tremendous gains for the industry that have resulted because of the work of RPAC and support of donors nationwide. (Refer to Legislative victories) Educate the prospect on RPAC as an institution: how it is run, what the goals are, what the accomplishments have been, and what our direction is -- to become the largest and most influential PAC in the country. Wouldn't you want that PAC to be representing your interests? How to Conduct a Successful RPAC Auction Some Local Boards conduct RPAC Auctions. Usually, these consist of donated items or services being sold to the highest bidder via either live or "silent" proceedings. RPAC auction items can range from expensive original artwork such as oil paintings, to handmade tablecloths or jewelry. Some auctions put up for bid such things as a week in a member's cabin in the mountains, or vacation time at the seaside beach house of a member. Virtually any item or merchandise or service can be put up for bid at an RPAC auction, so long as it is desirable or useful enough to draw bidders' interest. Conducting an RPAC auction also demands consideration of legal aspects, such as: (1) who can contribute merchandise or services (2) how to handle consigned items and (3) who can purchase auction items. Who Can Contribute Merchandise or Services? Consigned Items Who Can Purchase Auction Items? Amount of Work Involved Identification with RPAC While it is true that a member who buys an item at an RPAC auction will be contributing to RPAC regardless of whether that was his/her primary intent, the educational opportunity involved should be considered. Therefore, you should make sure that you make a "pitch" for RPAC itself at such auctions, so that members will have a clear idea of where their money will be going, and why it is important for them to contribute to RPAC. Keeping Your Crowd Free download for pdf documents:
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© 2007 OHIO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS:privacy policy |
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IRC Section 6104 requires this organization to make certain forms available for public inspection. Interested parties may contact Robert Fletcher, CEO at 614.228.6675 or fletcher@ohiorealtors.org |