INVEST

About RPAC

RPAC stands for the REALTORS® Political Action Committee. All levels of REALTOR®
organizations -- national, state and local -- have REALTOR® Political Action Committees and the investments in RPAC support candidates at the national, state and local level.* The Nevada REALTORS® PAC, "NV RPAC" collects political contributions from members and provides assistance to candidates who support issues important to the real estate profession. RPAC as a whole is, and always will be, a fair, legal and vital way for REALTORS® to speak with a unified voice. 

You may be asked to invest in the Political Survival Fund (PSF state) or BORPAC (local). These are all part of the same RPAC system, just different levels of the organization, and slightly different terms for the same thing.

Why Should You Care About Investing in the REALTOR® Political Action Committee (RPAC)?

Legislation at all levels of government impacts the way you do business. For example:

• At the local level, cities and counties regulate when and where you can display open house and for sale signage. Changes to this kind of ordinance can affect how you market properties.
• At the state level, changes to licensure and licensing education requirements could mean an increase in fees and more time spent in the classroom.
• At the federal level, tax reform could impact the mortgage interest deduction significantly and reduce the benefits of homeownership over renting.

Your REALTOR® associations (local, state and national) are watching out for private property rights and the ability of REALTORS® to do business day in, day out, so that you can focus on your real estate business. That means that we constantly work with elected officials, discussing the pros and cons of various measures affecting taxation, mortgage finance, housing, private property rights and licensure.

What Does RPAC Have to Do with This?

RPAC contributes to candidates that will be friendly to the real estate industry if they get elected. RPAC allows us to pool the resources of many REALTORS® to have a bigger impact than individuals on their own. Because the cost of campaign contributions to candidates is spread broadly, it gives REALTORS® a very strong voice.

Where Does the RPAC Money Go?

The money received by RPAC is split between the local, state and national political action committees (PACs)* – sometimes called something other than RPAC, so it can get confusing!

• Locally, in Nevada, most are called Board of REALTORS® PAC (BORPAC); for RSAR, the local PAC is Reno-Sparks Association of REALTORS® PAC (RSARPAC).
• At the state level, the Nevada REALTORS® PAC (NVRPAC) trustees administer the Political Survival Fund (PSF).
• Nationally, it is referred to as RPAC.
• A portion of the money may also go to support REALTOR® causes.

Who Decides Where the Money Goes?

Each of those PACs has trustees, who are all REALTORS® like you, who make the decisions on which candidates to support, based on a set of criteria that include their dedication to private property rights, voting history (if any), electability, campaign organization and strength, name recognition, and polling data. The information gathering to evaluate candidates includes questionnaires, interviews, legislative history and institutional knowledge from staff and trustees who have been on the PAC for a few cycles.
It is important to note that RPAC is non-partisan in that it supports REALTOR® Party candidates. Here in Nevada, in recent years, the REALTOR® PACs have supported candidates almost evenly split between Republicans and Democrats.

Your Investment Matters

Your investment in RPAC is a little bit like insurance: it allows the trustees to support candidates who are REALTOR®-friendly and will be willing to engage in a conversation on issues important to us. Whether your investment is $50, $100, $250 or more, it makes a difference, not only to your business but also to the millions of property owners represented by our profession nationwide.
Make your voice heard by investing in RPAC today.

How Can I Become a Trustee?

The best way to become a trustee is to get involved in your local association. Find out how you can become involved in local politics. Talk to your local association officers and trustees. Educate yourself on local, state and national politics. Remember, if real estate is your profession, politics is your business.

How Do I Invest?

For questions or for more information about RPAC, please contact: Lillian Walker, NVR Government Affairs Coordinator, at 800-748-5526, or Lillian@NVRealtors.org.

_{*Contributions are not deductible for Federal income tax purposes. Contributions are voluntary and used for political purposes. The amount indicated is merely a guideline. The Realtor® Associations will not favor or disadvantage anyone by reason of their contribution amount. You may refuse to contribute. Until PSF reaches NAR's goal, 30% of your PAC contribution is sent to National RPAC to support federal candidates and is charged against your limits under52 USC30116 and 70% of the contribution stays at the state and local levels and is used to support state and local candidates and a portion of this may be used for issues. After PSF reaches its goals, it may elect to retain your entire contribution for use in supporting state, and local candidates or issues. (Major donor levels may not be subject to this provision.) Federal law prohibits PSF/NV RPAC from soliciting contributions from individuals who are not members of the National Association of Realtors®.}