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Support Realtor® and Realtor®-Friendly Candidates This Election By Brooke D’Sousa When I first became a Realtor,® I was advised by a veteran colleague to join a Salt Lake Board of Realtors® committee to help acquaint me more quickly and completely with my new profession and the community of which I am now a part. After attending the Committee Sign-up Day, I chose to participate as a member of the Government Affairs Committee. I understood that real estate is a heavily regulated industry, and I wanted to become more familiar with the different levels of government and their role in making laws that affect home ownership and private property rights.
Additionally, the Elections Subcommittee holds interviews each year as incumbents and new candidates file to run for a variety of elected offices. Any Government Affairs Committee member can attend these interviews, which consist of the candidates introducing themselves and answering questions pertaining to how they view real estate issues and private property rights. These interviews are valuable in assisting the RPAC Board of Trustees to decide which candidates are champions of real-estate-related issues and merit the Board’s support through donations of RPAC funds.
The Government Affairs Committee hosts various elected officials during their monthly meetings. These speakers share knowledge and valuable insights regarding issues that currently do, or potentially could, affect our industry. From transfer taxes and property taxes, to ADUs and STRs, to zoning for new developments and differing levels of density, the Government Affairs Committee is often the first to hear the conversations taking place among state and local government leaders and the possible legislation that may follow.
My involvement in governmental affairs increased as I attended the annual Realtor® Day on the Hill and became a regular attendee to my city’s weekly city council meetings. I have developed relationships with my elected representatives at both the state and municipal levels, which has helped me to further advocate for the issues that are important to me, my clients, and the real estate industry. While my conversations and efforts were not always successful in persuading a particular outcome, I always felt successful in educating our leaders on why these issues
26 | Salt Lake Realtor ® | September 2021
