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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (April 17, 2015)
APRIL/MAY 2015 - REAL ESTATE & HOME BUILDERS GUIDE - PAGE 3 Information Provided by Jeana M. Beck Subscriber Relations Representative, RMLS TM Association Executive Officer, Columbia Basin and Union County Board of REALTORS ® RMLS TM - Eastern Oregon Office 1055 S. Hwy 395, Suite 232 PO Box 751 Hermiston, OR 97838 541-567-5186 - Office 541-282-3889 – Cell 541-289-7320 – Fax Oregon REALTORS® strongly believe in the power of our political system and work hard to ensure the r ights, benefits, and privileges of homeownership. On April 8, 2015, hundreds of Oregon REALTORS® let their voice be heard at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem. In the morning REALTORS® were updated on legislation slated for the May ballot. In the afternoon each REALTOR® met with representatives and senators to advocate for legislation that would protect the ri ghts of homeowners. ¬ But the vote and voice of REALTORS® alone is not going to be enough to defend the legislation before us, like the examples below.¬Every property owner in Oregon should register to vote, educate themselves on pending legisla tion, and vote on election day. Voting is not just our right as citizens—it is our privilege. It is also what makes our nation so great. See you at the polls! Eastern Oregon is represented by an educated, professional group of REALTORS® that all adhere to the strict REALTOR® Code of Ethics. The future looks bright for Eastern Oregon and our REALTORS® are ready to assist you with all your real estate needs. SUPPORT HB 3185 The Oregon Association of REALTORS ® introduced HB 3185 this session to better align Oregon statute with the federal rules. Specifically, the federal rules allow seller financing to be carried by a Limited Liability Company, where Oregon law does not. kinds of developments. Nor do they provide incentives such as lower development fees or reduced permitting costs. OPPOSE HB 2073, 2136, 2151, 2153, 2171: R eduction/elimination of mortgage interest deduction SUPPORT HB 3488 The Oregon Association of REALTORS ® introduced HB 3488 to further refine Oregon’s preemption on private transfer fees, as adopted unanimously by HB 2481B (2009) to conform with federal rules. OPPOSE HB 2073 Disallows, for purposes of personal income taxation, mortgage interest deduction for residence other than taxpayer’s principal residence if taxpayer’s federal adjusted gross income exceeds $125,000, or $250,000 if reported on joint return. SUPPORT SB 25 Senate Bill 25 is a reasonable and simple approach to growth that will give small rural communities the opportunity to attract new job opportunities for their residents without undue restraints set by the state. OPPOSE HB 2136: Limits qualified residence interest deduction for personal income taxpayers. OPPOSE SB 507 & HB 2564 The Oregon association of REALTORS® opposes removing the local preemption on inclusionary zoning because it will likely have the opposite effect on housing by forcing builders to make up the losses on some units by raising prices on others. First and foremost there is nothing in current law that prevents local communities from providing incentives for developers to provide affordable housing opportunities through incentives. SB 507 and HB 2564 only place the cost of providing affordable housing on homebuilders rather than spreading the cost over the entire community. Further, the bills do nothing to address the lack of available land for these OPPOSE HB 2151: Limits, for purposes of personal income taxation, availability of itemized deductions. OPPOSE HB 2153: Limits, for purposes of personal income taxation, availability of itemized deductions. OPPOSE HB 2171: For purposes of personal income taxation, changes connection point from federal taxable income to federal adjusted gross income by eliminating allowance of itemized deductions or standard deduction. Several Eastern Oregon REALTORS® and I had the honor of attending REALTOR® Rally at the Capitol on A pril 8, 2015. The day was educational and empowering. We are committed as your advocates to protect the dream of home ownership, build vibrant communities, and to promote a strong Oregon and U.S. economy. These efforts are not just limited to REALTORS® and their clients. In fact, that is a very small pi ece of what we do. We are promoting homeownership and are committed to opening the necessary doors for all Oregonians to have the opportunity to see their dream of homeownership become a reality. As well as ensuring that current homeowners are able to see the dream they are living be protected and uncompromised. I encourage you to join us in these efforts on Election Day. Art Kegler, Columbia Basin Board of REALTORS® Political and Government Affairs Chairman