Where does TAA-PAC money go?

Posted By: Dustin Engelken Government Affairs, TAA News & Updates,
On Thursday, June 28th, the Triangle Apartment Association Political Action Committee (TAA-PAC) held its most successful fundraising event ever when it raised over $5,000 at Casino Night. After the large haul at Casino Night, the PAC has now raised more than $13,000 in 2018 and is quickly approaching our goal for the year of raising $18,500, but where, you may be wondering, does all that money go?

TAA-PAC was created to help support and educate candidates running for public office on the issues and policies that directly affect the multifamily housing industry. Whether you’re a developer, property manager, or a vendor partner, elected officials make important decisions every day that affect your business, property, and livelihood. The PAC makes contributions to candidates for elected office and in doing so, it serves as a vehicle for educating and building relationships with current or future legislators that will help to ensure that we can play a role in shaping the regulations, laws, and ordinances that will affect our industry.

It may be tempting to assume that we can work towards these goals without raising and spending money on political campaigns. However, the reality, whether we like it or not, is that legislators remember organizations and individuals who make campaign contributions and they are more likely to seek out these groups for input on pending legislative or regulatory changes. Earlier this year, former Congressman and current White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney was quoted at an American Bankers Association conference as saying, “if you’re a lobbyist who never gave us money, I didn’t talk to you.”

Given the potential implications of policy changes for our industry, we simply cannot afford to skip on contributions and risk getting cut out of the process. To be clear, campaign contributions do not guarantee that a legislator will take our side on a particular policy, but it can help to ensure we have a seat at the table during the policy-making process.

In the same speech to the Bankers Association, Mulvaney explained that lawmakers “will never know as much about your industry as you do. They will never know as much about your issues as you do. And they will not know that it is as important to you as it is until you tell them."

As we continue towards the end of the year and the completion of our fundraising goals, please remember that TAA-PAC is our industry’s vehicle for ensuring we have the opportunity to tell our lawmakers about our issues and their importance to our industry.

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*TAA-PAC contributions can only be accepted from individuals as state rule prohibits corporate contributions.