As REALTORS®, we are targeted every legislative session for industry specific taxes. Real estate transfer taxes, direct taxes on your commissions, and heavy restrictions added to closings have been proposed in Nevada in past sessions. How do we fight these bad proposals on your behalf? With the strength of our numbers. NV REALTORS® is the largest trade association in the state. When our members register to vote in high numbers and show up at the polls, it gives a lot of strength to our voice.

Are you registered to vote? Are your colleagues around the office? Registering to vote takes less than a minute online at www.registertovotenv.com. You'll need your Nevada driver's license or state ID.

Together, we keep Nevada REALTORS® strong, and defend our industry.

Top

GLVAR's Political Affairs Committee, at the behest of the Nevada REALTORS®, has been hard at work over the past several months identifying legislative issues and priorities for the 2019 session. Using an exhaustive and extensive identification process, the committee and its members have identified issues that may be hindering our members in the real estate transaction. The issues identified by the committee include:

• Advertising with a licensee's number to allow for nicknames,
• Changes to the SRPD,
• Expansion of disclosure requirements by a licensee,
• Expansion of post-licensing education requirements,
• HOA issues,
• Property management issues.

These issues, identified by the Political Affairs Committee over the last three months, will now be vetted, refined, eliminated, and prioritized by the Political Advisory Committee over the next couple of weeks. Ultimately, when this process is completed, GLVAR will submit its list of priority issues to the Nevada REALTORS® Legislative Committee for their consideration. That committee, made up of REALTORS® from across the state, will have final say over what the REALTORS®'s legislative agenda for the 2019 session will be. Other local associations across the state are going through a very similar process, and GLVAR's ideas and issues will be competing with those in a statewide vetting of the issues at hand for our members. Stay tuned for more information as this process further unfolds. For more information, please contact Joe Locatelli at locatelli@carraranv.com.

Top

For more than a decade, the Washoe County School District (WCSD) has faced a lack of funding to build and repair schools. On November 8, 2016, voters passed WC-1, with significant support within the community, providing the school district enough capital funding to adequately build and repair schools. As they understand from their business experiences the importance of a vibrant education system within the community, REALTORS® at the local, state, and national levels were an integral part of the efforts to pass WC-1.

It is important to remember that all expenditures from this funding source must be reviewed and signed off on by the Capital Funding Protection Committee, a citizen oversight group, before the WCSD Board of Trustees ever sees and approves them.

The Damonte Ranch HS expansion brought twenty‑two (22) classrooms into use on April 9, 2018, on time and on budget. As of this writing, WCSD has broken ground on two new middle schools and one elementary. All of these schools will open in school year 2019. WCSD is in the process of land acquisition for a new middle school, two new elementary schools, and a new high school. All these new schools will relieve overcrowding.

The repairs will bring older schools up to par and provide more career-tech options to give students better chances at success in life. In 2017, WCSD was able to dedicate $20 million to:

• Replace boilers;
• Revitalize (make major renovations) elementary schools;
• Install a new cooling system and provide safety upgrades at Nancy Gomes ES;
• Replace roofs; and,
• Install 44,000 square feet of new carpet at Robert McQueen HS, among others.

Most of these new schools and renovations would not have been possible if it were not for the passage of WC-1. REALTORS® and REALTOR® clients can see for themselves the progress of all these projects by going to http://www.wcsdbuilding.com.

Top

The Douglas County Commission reviewed its short-term rental ordinance recently. Topics of discussions for possible changes were expanding to allow short-term rentals in the Valley and change of use, inspections, and increasing permit fees. Members from the SNAR Government Affairs Committee have been involved in discussion to help provide direction for future recommendations.

Top

TRPA's Best Management Practices (BMP) Parcel Working Group recently met to discuss sustainable funding options for BMP compliance support. The goal is to have funding to support a technician dedicated to BMP compliance to help homeowners at a timelier rate. TRPA staff will bring a recommendation to the TRPA Governing Board in May/June 2018.

Top

Top

• • Register to Vote
• • GLVAR's Legislative Priorities
• • WCSD Capital Funding for Building and Repairs
• • Short-term Rentals in Douglas County
• • Tahoe Regional Planning Authority
• • Sign Up to Receive Calls to Action

Platinum R ($10,000+)

Golden R ($5,000+)

Crystal R ($2,500+)

Sterling R ($1,000+)

Association Corporate Investors

For more information, please contact:

• Nevada REALTORS® President Heidi Kasama
• Nevada REALTORS® Legislative Chairman Kevin Sigstad
• Nevada REALTORS® CEO Teresa McKee