Page 14 - Letter to NAR LT

and was not a Priority for 2021. I say here that Clarke is sadly mistaken. MAR has lost battles before, but when such Issues come up again, no matter the year, we kept our position out in front of our Legislators and many times won. I Know I am right since I was there when MAR’s Lobbyists Spence Dye, Quinten Whitwell, and Derek Easley kept on top of issues important to members and kept working every time the issue came back. Here are just a few examples:
13 years to pass Landlord-Tenant Act
3 years to pass Property Condition Disclosure & get it assigned to MREC 3 years to pass Home Inspector Licensing
3 years to pass bill allowing public Charter Schools
5 years to pass Private Property Liability Law
5 years with NAR battling big banks to pass No Banks in real estate
2
The above article from Mississippi today indicates that the Medical Marijuana Initiative 65A failed in the House, but the Senate kept trying. Clarke Wise stated that the issue was not our Priority and did not fight to help see it through the Mississippi House of Representatives. I strongly disagree, especially in light of the financial commitment.
Will NAR’s Issues Mob hear about this failure to properly spend member’s money? I was on the NAR Issues Mob committee for several years and know how seriously they monitor how the member’s money gets used. The battle seems lost again, but it’s just a battle, and the war is not lost. The Issue remains in Court. People who have special interests usually get called out in the end. In this case “Big Tobacco” is running center stage in this drama.
I am making a formal request that Mississippi Legislative and Regulatory Affairs bring to the next Agenda the question about whether or not Priority Issues are only “Priority” for one year. Are they temporary concerns or long term commitments for Realtors to be part of improving Mississippi? Maybe some comment from NAR’s Committee can be included in the discussion? The question goes further and asks if MAR”s Government Affairs staff owns the right to make Legislative priority decisions? The same goes for the Legislative Action Team’s ability to act without LEG-REG oversight,, even when time is not of the essence,
I remain, Yours in fair dealings.
Chris Wilson, Realtor
Mississippi Realtor Hall of Fame 2016
Mississippi Realtor Of The Year 2014 President-Mississippi Association of Realtors 2007 Mississippi Commercial Realtor Of The Year 2004 Realtor Emeritus
MAR and NAR Political Action Committee Hall of Fame
PS: I use eMail for transmission of this Request so that the Link to Mississippi Today’s acticle to which I refer can be accessed.
Tele: (601) 649-1010 e-Mail: cw@chriswilsonrealtor.com Web: www.chriswilsonrealtor.com