KENTUCKY HOMES MATTER

Transcription

1 KENTUCKY HOMES MATTER Advcacy Tlkit

2 Dear Members, Hme wnership is critical t ur cmmunities, ecnmy and the quality f life in Kentucky. We need t keep the American Dream f hme wnership accessible and affrdable fr all Kentuckians. Unfrtunately, sme in Frankfrt are talking abut increasing taxes n ur hmes, new taxes n hme sales and putting hme wnership ut f reach by eliminating the mrtgage interest and prperty tax deductins. During the 2013 General Assembly, legislatrs began the debate n tax refrm ultimately chsing the least cntrversial ptins frm the Gvernr s Blue Ribbn Tax Refrm Cmmissin. When legislatrs return t Frankfrt in January, we knw that tax refrm discussins will likely cntinue as they cnsider new revenue measures t address the state budget. As leaders in yur cmmunity, I am asking fr yur help. We have a strng team in place t carry ur message t Frankfrt, but nthing is mre imprtant t a legislatr than hearing frm their wn cnstituents. In rder t effectively demnstrate the imprtance f prtecting hme wnership during tax refrm discussins, we must unite in supprt f ur legislative gals and speak with ne vice and ne message. The entire real estate industry in Kentucky, including licensees, yur vendrs, yur clients, and the lcal business cmmunity f which yu are a part, must help share the imprtance f prtecting hme wnership. Unifying behind the theme f Kentucky Hmes Matter is critical t ur success. This theme will frm the basis f all internal and external cmmunicatins abut ur industry s legislative gals. Hw d yu use this tlkit? This tlkit cntains helpful resurces that will aide in yur utreach t legislatrs, yur cmmunity and the media in yur lcal market. We encurage yu first t becme familiar with Kentucky Hmes Matter key messaging dcument in the beginning f this dcument. Frm there, lk at the legislative and cmmunity utreach checklists that prvide an idea f the activity we recmmend. Finally, please review the sample letters, issue supprt materials and visit As yu becme familiar with ur message, the supprt materials and ur new website, we encurage yu t use them in yur discussins with legislatrs, lcal cmmunity leaders and the media in yur area. Keep us infrmed and let us knw if yu have any questins r need mre infrmatin. It is imprtant that yu keep KAR infrmed abut yur interactins with legislatrs. Please let us knw when yu meet with them and what srt f feedback they prvide yu abut Kentucky Hmes Matter and any ther issues related t ur prfessin. Anetha Sanfrd, KAR s Directr f Gvernment Relatins, is the primary pint f cntact and is als available t help with any questins r prvide further infrmatin. She can be reached at ASanfrd@kar.cm r (859) Thank yu, Je McClary, CEO KY Assciatin f REALTORS 2

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Our Message.4 Legislative Outreach 5 Cmmunity & Media Outreach..6 Templates..7 Kentucky Hmes Matter 9 3

4 OUR MESSAGE: KENTUCKY HOMES MATTER One element that is imperative t achieve legislative success is a unified message. KAR alng with the lcal bards and assciatins must band tgether and speak with ne vice and ne message t lawmakers, media and the public. The gal f the unified message will be t cmmunicate the fllwing: 1. Demnstrate the strength and impact f KAR 2. Prtect the Mrtgage Interest Deductin (MID) and Oppse a sales tax n services 3. Prve that hmewnership matters MESSAGE #1: KAR is the Vice fr Real Estate KAR represents the interests f nearly 10,000 real estate prfessinals and ver 1.2 millin hmewners acrss the Cmmnwealth. KAR s strng membership translates t abut 72 REALTORS fr every Senatr and Representative in the KY General Assembly. Vter registratin amng KAR members is 88% - 21 pints higher than the KY average f 67%. As "The Vice fr Real Estate a primary value f KAR is t serve and represent its members in regulatry and legislative matters; t keep the REALTOR central t the real estate transactin; t prmte member integrity, cmpetency and respnsible citizenship; and t advcate and prtect private prperty rights and equal husing pprtunity. MESSAGE #2: Tax refrm shuld encurage hme wnership, nt discurage it. If tax refrm des nt prtect hme wnership, the average hmewner will pay $5,000 in mre taxes. 70% f Kentucky vters supprt state incme tax deductins fr the interest paid n hme mrtgages and prperty taxes. 65% f vters ppse the expansin f a sales tax t include real estate and ther prfessinal services. MESSAGE #3: Hme wnership is critical t ur cmmunities and ecnmy. Fr every 2 hmes sld, ne jb is created. Every hme purchase generates as much as $60,000 in ecnmic activity. 62% f vters say that eliminating the state MID wuld have a negative impact n the KY husing market. As we see the ecnmy and husing industry recver, we must make sure that tax refrm effrts d nt adversely affect the accessibility and affrdability f the American Dream. 4

5 LEGISLATIVE OUTREACH Legislatrs want t hear frm YOU their cnstituents. Meeting with a legislatr is the best way t educate them abut issues that are imprtant t the real estate industry and, ideally, influence their decisins. Tw rules t remember: D nt feel like yu are impsing; D nt feel intimidated. Legislatrs meet with cnstituents n a regular basis. Remember that legislatrs depend n their cnstituents (yu) fr supprt just as yu depend n them. Three pints t remember as yu begin cmmunicating with yur legislatr: All plitics is lcal (the legislatr cares abut hw the issue affects his/her district) Quality f cmmunicatin is imprtant (be prepared, cncise and fcused) Building a lng-term relatinship with a legislatr is the mst valuable thing yu can d fr KAR (cmmunicate ften, nt just when yu need smething frm them) Gals: Educate the legislatr abut the strength f KAR and the psitive impact f the real estate industry in KY. Ask the legislatr cmmit t prtecting the MID and ppse any sales tax n services related t the real estate and husing industry during tax refrm effrts in the 2014 legislative sessin. TO DO Legislatrs are deluged with infrmatin n a daily basis, s the mre effectively and mre ften yu cmmunicate with yur legislatr the mre impact yu will have. We understand that building a lng term relatinship with a legislatr des nt happen vernight, but cnsistently cmmunicating in an effective manner is the first step in the prcess. In general, it takes five cntacts with a legislatr t slidify their supprt fr an issue. Here are sme suggestins n hw yu can make these cntacts leading up t the 2014 legislative sessin. Get t knw yur legislatr research their interests, bigraphy, family, and past invlvement n real estate and tax issues. If yu dn t knw yur legislatr, find a friend wh des and ask them t make an intrductin s there is a persnal lcalized cnnectin. Schedule a ne-n-ne meeting with yur legislatr in the district. Invite yur legislatr fr a receptin r ther events yu are already planning. Attend at least 2 candidate fundraisers, picnics and campaign events. Visit Frankfrt when yur legislatr will be in twn. Attend civic and cmmunity events where legislatrs will be present (ribbn cuttings, Chamber f Cmmerce events, Rtary, etc.) 5

6 COMMUNITY & MEDIA OUTREACH Althugh the primary fcus f ur educatin and advcacy effrt is directed at legislatrs, it is critical that we als engage thse in yur lcal cmmunity wh might lend their supprt. Remember: Every hme wner and ptential hme wner will be affected by tax refrm. As business leaders in yur cmmunities take this pprtunity t educate yur peers, clleagues and clients abut ur campaign: Kentucky Hmes Matter. Here are sme primary pints t remember as yu cntinue t build strng relatinships in yur cmmunity: Educate, Educate, Educate take every pprtunity t educate thse in yur cmmunity Educate ther business leaders abut the industry s issues they prbably share many cncerns Ensure that yur side f the stry is always heard in bth media and cmmunity meetings Maintain a relatinship with lcal media and be a valuable resurce TO DO Offer t present the Kentucky Hmes Matter campaign t lcal plitical and business leaders thrugh yur chamber f cmmerce. Lk fr pprtunities t speak t lcal civic grups and rganizatins including Rtary Clubs, Kiwanis Clubs, Lcal plitical parties, etc. Hst a cmmunity pen huse fr business leaders, media, lcal fficials and legislatrs. Maintain regular cntact with yur lcal media utlets (Newspaper, Radi, and Televisin) and be a resurce when they are lking fr stry pprtunities. This will pay ff when we need t reach them with ur legislative messages. Meet with the publisher and/r editr f yur lcal newspaper and educate them n the imprtance f prtecting hme wnership and KAR s strength in Kentucky. Respnd t newspaper stries abut the industry and/r ur legislative gals thrugh a letter t the editr (LTE): Shrt (150 wrds r less) and great fr ffering quick respnses t editrials r stries. Wrking with KAR, submit pinin-editrial (Op-Ed) t yur lcal newspaper: Lnger piece (usually wrds) and great fr presenting data and facts. 6

7 TEMPLATES SAMPLE LETTER TO LEGISLTOR Hnrable Senatr/Representative [Last Name] [Address line 1] [Address line 2] Frankfrt, KY Dear Representative / Senatr [Last Name]: As a member f the Kentucky Assciatin f REALTORS and yur cnstituent, I ask fr yur supprt t prtect hme wnership in Kentucky. Hme wnership is critical t ur cmmunities, ecnmy and the quality f life in Kentucky. We need t keep the American Dream f hme wnership accessible and affrdable fr all Kentuckians. As tax refrm discussins cntinue, we hpe yu will keep hme wnership in mind. The mrtgage interest deductin (MID) is an imprtant tl that allws 1.2 millin Kentuckians the pprtunity t wn their wn hme. Placing a cap n r eliminating this deductin wuld have a significant negative impact n ur husing industry. Studies shw that if hme wnership is nt prtected during tax refrm, the average hmewner will pay $5,000 in mre taxes. Implementing a sales tax n services related t the husing industry wuld nly drive up the cst f purchasing a hme. As ur ecnmy begins t recver, please cnsider these facts and prtect current and future hme wners acrss the Cmmnwealth. The Kentucky Assciatin f REALTORS represents the interests f mre than 10,000 real estate prfessinals. REALTORS are cmmitted t advancing hme wnership and helping build strng cmmunities here in Kentucky. As yu return t Frankfrt in January, we hpe that yu will prtect the MID and ppse any sales tax n services related t the husing industry. Learn mre abut Kentucky Hmes Matter Please d nt hesitate t cntact me if yu have any questins r if I can be f assistance. Sincerely, <Name> REALTOR <Address> <CSZ> < > 7

8 SAMPLE LETTER-T0-THE-EDITOR T the Editr: Like mst Kentuckians, my biggest and mst imprtant investment is my hme. The tax benefits f wning a hme are a majr part f that investment and helps make hmewnership mre affrdable. During the 2013 General Assembly, legislatrs began the debate n tax refrm ultimately chsing the least cntrversial ptins frm the Gvernr s Blue Ribbn Tax Refrm Cmmissin. When legislatrs return t Frankfrt in January, we knw that tax refrm discussins will likely cntinue as they cnsider new revenue measures t address the state budget. With this recvering ecnmy and challenging husing market, nw is nt the time t increase the tax burden n hmewners. The lss f the mrtgage interest deductin r a tax n services culd severely harm the Kentucky husing market and Kentucky ecnmy, which culd cause majr harm t the investments f many Kentucky hmewners like me. I hpe all hmewners will call their respective members f the Kentucky Legislature t vice their cncerns abut this prpsal. If yu are a hmewner, the value f yur investment in yur hme is at stake. Sincerely, (Insert First and Last Name) (Insert Mailing Address) (Insert City and State) 8

9 KENTUCKY HOMES MATTER Hme wnership is critical t ur cmmunities, ecnmy and the quality f life in Kentucky. We need t keep the American Dream f hme wnership accessible and affrdable fr all Kentuckians. Unfrtunately, sme in Frankfrt are talking abut increasing taxes n ur hmes, new taxes n hme sales and putting hme wnership ut f reach by eliminating the mrtgage interest and prperty tax deductins. Here s why hme wnership matters in Kentucky: A family s mst imprtant investment Hme wnership helps build lng-term wealth and net-wrth. The mney yu spend builds persnal equity and prvides the pprtunity t wn a hme free and clear by the time yu retire. Hme wnership benefits Kentucky s ecnmy 71% f Kentuckians wn hmes. That translates t 1.2 millin hme wners. 1 Hme wnership helps Kentucky cmmunities Hme wners create safe, strng and stable neighbrhds fr their families. Hme wners are mre likely t get invlved in cmmunity grups and t vte. Children f hmewners d 23% better in schl. 2 Kentucky vters supprt state prgrams that make hme wnership mre accessible and affrdable Fr every tw hmes sld, ne jb is created, and each purchase generates as much as $60,000 in ecnmic activity. SOLD SOLD If tax refrm detrimental t hme wnership is enacted, the average hme wner will pay $5,000 mre in taxes. 4 Fr mre inf, visit KentuckyHmesMatter.cm 1 JOB 1. Accrding t the 2000 U.S. Census. 70% 65% 62% 2. Accrding t a 2001 study by Harvard s Jint Center fr Husing Studies. supprt state incme tax deductins fr the interest paid n hme mrtgages and prperty taxes. ppse the expansin f a sales tax t include select real estate and ther prfessinal services. say that eliminating the state mrtgage interest deductin wuld have a negative impact n the husing market in Kentucky Results are taken frm a survey cnducted by American Strategies n behalf f the Kentucky Assciatin f REALTORS January 14-16, The survey plled 600 registered vters in Kentucky. 4. Based n a $150,000 hme accrding t a 2012 study by the UK Center fr Business and Ecnmic Research.