Croushore Appointed as FPC to Altmire

RAMP is thrilled to announce our own Ron Croushore has been named to serve as the Federal Political Coordinator to Congressman Jason Altmire (D-4th).  

Wondering what the Federal Political Coordinator (FPC ) position means as a  REALTOR® . . . .

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Watch why Pittsuburgh's... The Right Choice on TV!

Have you seen us on Comcast Spotlight this month? The Right Choice Campaign is on TV! In an interview with Tonya Caruso on the Comcast Newsmakers show, President Kevin Brown shared information about RAMP's efforts to promote Pittsburgh as "The Right Choice." The interview is on rotation this month, and will be broadcast approximately 50 times at :25 and :55 minutes past the hour on HLN (CNN Headline News). Over 675,000 households in the Pittsburgh region will see the interview this month!

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RAMP Helps Shape Local Legislation Aimed at Seniors Behind on Property Taxes

A bill offered by Allegheny County Council Member Ed Kress seeks to offer a solution for senior citizens who have fallen behind on their property taxes.  Council Member Kress reached out to RAMP prior to offering this bill at County Council, and met with members of our Government Affairs Committee to receive their feedback on practical matters relating to sheriff’s sale, and ways to strengthen his idea.

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Wondering What Your Federal Tax Dollars Pay For?

Monday is Tax Day.  The White House has launched a "Federal Taxpayer Receipt" calculator, that lets you input the amounts you paid in 2010 in social security, medicare, and income tax to view what program categories your federal tax dollars were on spent on, and.the rate your personal dollars funded these endeavors.

RAMP Government Affairs regularly attends the IRS Small Business Forum quarterly events in which news and information is shared directly from IRS staff.  For more information, please visit the Tax Tips for REALTORS® page on our web site.

President Obama Signs Repeal of 1099 Reporting Requirement

On Thursday, President Obama signed into law the repeal of the 1099 reporting requirement that was passed by Congress.  For a recap of why the 1099 reporting requirement was widely unpopular with property managers and owners of rental property, click here.

Locally, Congressmen Jason Altmire (D) and Tim Murphy (R) voted in favor of the repeal, while Congressman Mike Doyle voted against the repeal.  

To read a statement issued by the White House regarding H.R. 4, click here.

PA Sprinkler Mandate Repealed!

Despite some frantic last-minute moves to derail the effort, this evening, RAMP is pleased to report that the sprinkler mandate on new, residential, one and two-family construction in Pennsylvania has been repealed!  This eliminates the requirement that had become effective as of January 1, 2011.  RAMP thanks all members that took part in the Call To Action that had been launched on this important piece of legislation, which complimented our serious and ongoing government affairs effort to convince legislators to repeal this mandate. It is the first bill to be passed by both the PA House and Senate, and the first to be sent to Gov. Tom Corbett for his signature, in this legislative session.  Other notable outcomes of this bill include: Requires public hearings to be held by the State's Uniform Construction Code Review and Advisory Council to determine the impacts of any new provisions, including financial. Requires a vote with a two-thirds majority, before implementing the ...

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Act 202 Amendment - New Home Construction Local Tax Abatement Act

An amendment offered by State Senator Wayne Fontana (a REALTOR from Allegheny County) on Act 202 was passed unanimously by the PA Senate Finance Committee today.  With RAMP's support, Senator Fontana is seeking to close an Act 202 loophole via SB 158.   Currently, Act 202 provides that a property owner be given six months from the date of occupancy to submit an application for a tax exemption.  Senator Fontana's amendment would provide that in the event that an occupancy permit is issued to a contractor, the property owner would be given six months from the date of occupancy to submit the application form for this vital property tax exemption, thus retaining the incentive for buyers of new residential construction within Allegheny County. RAMP is pleased to note that Allegheny County co-sponsors include: Senator John Pippy Senator Jay Costa Senator Jim Ferlo Senator Jim Brewster To read RAMP's letter in support on SB 158, click here. To view the legis ...

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Storming Capitol Hill - Our Legislative Push at the NAR Mid-Year Meetings

Wondering what topics REALTORS® will be advocating for when they assemble in Washington, D.C. next month for the NAR Mid-Year Meetings?  NAR Deputy Chief Lobbiyst Jamie Gregory has taped a video message revealing the four key topics REALTORS® will be asked to focus on when meeting with their Congress Members and Senators:

• Mortgage Interest Deduction (MID) - preserving home ownership tax benefits
• Second Mortgage Market Reform
• Preserving Affordable Mortgages
• Affordable Property Insurance - National Flood Insurance Program

What Do Consumers Want? 2011 Community Preference Survey Results Revealed!

Last week NAR released the findings of their 2011 Community Preference Survey.  Questions were asked of 2,071 American adults to capture their feelings on neighborhood attributes and proximity to schools, parks, shops, and restaurants.  The following themes emerged:

• A majority prefer to reside in a mixed-use neighborhood that is walkable, but the concept of a single-family detached home remains of primary importance
• A majority indicated they would live in a smaller home in exchange for decreased commute

Safety at Your Open House

Three Keys to REALTOR® Safety: Knowledge, Awareness, and Empowerment!

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