Chair Wendy Furth called the meeting to order at 10:01 a.m.  Wendy welcomed everyone to their first meeting and said that they plan to put the "fun" back in fundraising.  Chair Furth showed the RAF Videos that were produced by Arcadia, Bay East, Marin, Pacific West  Sacramento, TIGAR and Ventura County Association of REALTORS.  She further reported on the new RPAC Fundraising Partnership $5000 Grant program and that the California Desert and Palm Springs AORs Diamond and Champagne Reception were the first to participate!  

Rick Violett, 2010 NAR RPAC Trustee gave an RPAC update. 

Jim Liptak, 2010 NAR RPIC Vice Chairman reminded FPCs that they need to make sure they respond to NAR Call to Actions and send in their electronic reports.  This is the year that FPCs will be reappointed or removed and NAR is looking very closely at those reports.

Bob McMillan, 2010 NAR Member Mobilization Liaison and Larry Knapp, C.A.R. Chair of the Broker Involvement Task Force both reported on the Broker Involvement Program and encouraged everyone to participate.

After some discussion on changing the committee name and mission statement, the following motion was made:

It was moved, seconded and CARRIED that the name of the Political Affairs Committee be changed to REALTOR Action Fund Committee.

It was moved, seconded and CARRIED that the following mission statement for the REALTOR Action Fund Committee be approved:

The mission of the committee is to provide education and training for politically involved REALTORS to develop appropriate structures for effective communication with elected officials at each level of government; and to provide support for REALTORS in the areas of fundraising, education and the Member Mobilization Program.  The committee's primary function is to raise funds through the REALTOR Action Fund, train local associations and to provide political education to local members, as needed. (February 2010)

That notice be given to the directors for vote at the next regularly scheduled C.A.R. directors' meeting that each member, consistent with the structure of the variable dues formula,* be assessed for political purposes for 2011 and beyond the amount of $49 by making a contribution to CREPAC or CREIEC for the assessed amount; or paying the assessment to C.A.R.'s Political Activities Fund (PAF).

*Note:  The variable dues formula structure is in the CAR and NAR bylaws and virtually every local Association bylaws.  It provides that dues are in an amount plus the same amount times the number of REALTORS licensed directly or indirectly to the REALTOR unless those licensees have joined as REALTORS or REALTOR-Associates directly.  For example, if a REALTOR has 100 agents and 80 of then join directly and the dues are $50, then the REALTORS' dues are 1 (the R) + 20 (the nonmembers) = 21.  The total dues for that member is $50 x 21 = $1,050.  Therefore, the Political Assessment in this same office would be $49 x 21 = $1,029.

There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 11:45 a.m.