When the City of Edmond, Oklahoma, just north of the capital, prioritized infrastructure and recreational facilities in its most recent budget, the local board of REALTORS® had no objections. But when the City proposed funding those projects with a General Obligation (GO) Bond that would amount to a nearly $500 annual tax increase on every Edmond household with a property assessed at $400,000, the REALTORS® stepped up in strong opposition. With help from an Issues Mobilization Grant from the REALTOR® Party, they launched a campaign urging residents to vote ‘No on the GO’ – which a majority did.
Edmond Board of REALTORS®’ Association Executive Stephanie Carter explains that the bond issue involved three separate ballot measures, which together would have represented a roughly 15% property tax hike. “That would have had a tremendous impact on home and business affordability, and by extension, a negative effect on monthly rent prices, as well as the cost of goods and services from local businesses. As increased property values have already driven up tax and insurance bills for Edmond residents, and inflation is making everything more expensive, we believe that the expense for these projects should be spread more evenly.”
Carter reached out to the REALTOR® Party to explore the possibility of receiving funding for a voter-mobilization campaign as soon as the City Council put the tax measures on the ballot. “I didn’t know what the process was, or what the application would involve,” she recalls. “From the very first phone call, I got lots of support; they helped walk me through the whole grant process. The GAD from our state association was also very supportive. It made it very easy to present the Issues Mobilization Grant to my board as something we should definitely be pursuing.”
Once the grant was secured, the public affairs firm recommended by the REALTOR® Party did all the heavy lifting, says Carter, noting that they were in constant communication about the messaging and strategy. “They pulled data from NAR sources, created the campaign graphics, and produced the advertisements. We approved all the communications every step of the way. Our main point was that the City had never tapped into property taxes before, and doing so would be a huge detriment to home ownership.”
Running about six weeks, the campaign featured several direct mailers targeted to about 10,000 Edmond homeowners; video and static digital ads; social media; and three rounds of texts. The board used its own funds to create yard signs that they made available to the public. “We got a lot of gratitude from the people who came to pick them up – someone even brought us a goody basket!” reports Carter, noting that many of the area’s seniors are on fixed incomes and could not afford a $500 increase in property tax. “They were very thankful that the REALTORS® were on their side.”
On Election Day, over 68% of voters said no to the GO Bond.
At the AE Institute in March, Carter spoke about her experience with the Issues Mobilization Grant program, assuring her colleagues that if they don’t think they have the time, they should think again. “It starts with a phone call to the very helpful and supportive REALTOR® Party staff, and they do the hard part from there. You may not have the time to develop and manage a campaign yourself, but you won’t be!”
To learn more about how the Edmond Board of REALTORS® is working to keep costs down for local home and business owners, as well as renters, contact Association Executive Stephanie Carter at ae@edmondrealtors.com or 405.348.3032.
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