WeSERV is still interviewing candidates running for local office. Last week our Cochise Chapter interviewed candidates running for city council and mayor of Sierra Vista. This week our West Valley Chapter will be interviewing candidates running for Peoria city council in the Mesquite district.

Look for the WeSERV REALTORS candidate endorsement list on our websites: weserv.realtor and www.weservgad.org. 

On August 31st, the Arizona REALTORS hosted our annual Legislative Caucus. WeSERV Government Affairs prepared for this important opportunity to impact and influence the Arizona REALTORS 2023 legislative agenda by bringing specific issues of concern and our suggestions for solutions to the discussion.

The New Homestead Act: With the changes made to the Homestead Act taking effect in January 2022, WeSERV has identified a few concerns and provided solution suggestions.

The “Wholesale Buyer/Seller” Law: Through this new law, two new definitions were created for people assigning a contract – Wholesale Buyer and Wholesale Seller. When assignment of a contract is performed, the correct and long-standing terms are Assignor and Assignee. It also requires buyers with the intention of assigning the purchase contract disclose their intention in the purchase offer.

Frequently, property owners may not realize a lien has been recorded against their property. This is a favorite tactic of scam artists, but sometimes a property owner may not realize an action has been taken and a legal lien has been placed on their property.

Definition of Institutional Buyers: the term Institutional Buyer is becoming synonymous with “big, unfeeling, hedge fund, corporation or iBuyer”. Most of Arizona’s residential rental property is owned by individual or small group investors in an entity. By defining them in the same way as a hedge fund, government or large institutional buyer, it will be increasingly difficult for them to help provide rental housing.

Increasingly, WeSERV is seeing a definition of abandoned property, first put forth by the Cleveland Fed during the 2008 crash, being written into city ordinances. That definition was subsequently adopted by HUD about 2012. The definition states property with a property tax paid in arrears with a property lien, or a property with a notice of default on a mortgage or deed of trust, is deemed to be abandoned. 

GAD Events:

WeSERV has created the City of Maricopa Sign Ordinance Task Force. 

ADOT has opened the public comment period for the proposed expansion of I-10 from Wild Horse Pass to Casa Grande.  

The next Government Affairs meeting will be on October 12, 2022. Also in October we will have a morning of update and information from ADEQ, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and from Rep. Debbie Lesko.

WeSERV GAD: Advocating for private property rights, the right to private contract and YOUR Business!

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A couple of years ago we hosted Coffee with MAG (Maricopa Association of Governments) to learn more about this regional planner and data gathering entity for the Maricopa County and Pinal County area.

Listen as Kelly Taft and Scott Wilken join us for a discussion of the data analytics, maps, transportation planning, economic development and other resources MAG offers.

This is part 1 of 3.

Song Credits:

WEPA Song Credits: "Wepa" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

WERQ Song Credits:

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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Homestead Act video

Buckeye:

Goodyear Economic Development

Surprise:

El Mirage Economic Development

Peoria Economic Development

Tolleson Economic Development

Avondale EDGE Economic Development

TSMC - Taiwan Semi-Conductor

Song Credits;

WEPA Song Credits:

"Wepa" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

WERQ Song Credits:

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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WeSERV Government Affairs has been busy the past few months.

Mark Apel joined our April meeting to demonstrate the WHIP tool interactive water map for the Upper San Pedro River basin.

WeSERV Government Affairs Candidate Interview workgroups spent May interviewing candidates running for city council and mayor in the southeast valley and west valley. You can review the list of endorsed candidates at www.weservgad.org.

WeSERV evaluates candidates through a narrow lens mostly reflecting a candidate's views on private property rights through government policy. You can read more about the WeSERV candidate interview and endorsement process at www.weservgad.org.

The Arizona REALTORS (AR) released their list of endorsed candidates running for State Treasurer, State Senate and State House of Representatives.

There are some very important election dates between now and August 2nd (election day). You can find a graphic with these important dates at www.weservgad.org. Also at the website, a link to the redistricting maps for statewide elections and congressional elections.

WeSERV GAD: Advocating for private property rights, the right to private contract and YOUR business!

Song Credits:

WEPA Song Credits: "Wepa" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

WERQ Song Credits: "Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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I was able to attend, and invited to present, at the WeSERV Santa Cruz Chapter member meeting on February 17th. In addition to my remarks, their guest presenter was Pat Risner, President of the Hermosa project mine for South32.

Pat described the environmental remediation of past mining, some of which goes back to the late 1800’s. He also provided slides and a description of the future.

Listen as Pat describes the future of mining. The Hermosa project will entail some truly “first time in history” forward thinking mining practices. 

What is clear is this is a new kind of mining project and will bring enormous economic development and opportunity to Santa Cruz County. The materials being dug out of the ground are crucial to making the technology and clean energy products now in demand.

Our members spent several minutes asking Pat questions regarding water, transportation, and housing. To learn more about South32 go to their website and to the Santa Cruz County website.

GAD Events:

March 9, 2022 from 9am to 12 noon - Government Affairs Event and Meeting at our Chandler Office

March 22, 2022 from 10am to 11:30am - Coffee with Representative Lesko at our Peoria Office

Song Credits:

WEPA Song Credits: "Wepa" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

 WERQ Song Credits: "Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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Let’s start with the general geography. WeSERV is under the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) umbrella. Under the NAR model there is one national association, several state and territorial associations (one for each state/territory), and local associations.

There is the National Association of REATORS®, the Arizona Association of REALTORS® (AR – also known as Arizona REALTORS®), and WeSERV Association of REALTORS® (West and Southeast REALTORS® of the Valley). WeSERV’s, jurisdiction includes West Maricopa County, Southeast Maricopa County, Pinal, Cochise and Santa Cruz.

At the local level, we don’t lobby. We provide information, education, and market context in an effort to provide valuable, usable information for local government discussions with the public on issues of importance. In most cases you may find our special reports online at www.weservgad.org. 

At WeSERV Government Affairs we understand that local government is different than federal or state. For starters, when we speak of local government affairs, we are speaking of our neighbors who serve as elected officials or volunteers on boards and commissions. We know them from the activities of daily life. They are as invested in the community as we are. That allows us to begin from a mutual acknowledgment that WeSERV cares about the community and the local officials and staff care about the community.

This year we are changing the format of WeSERV Government Affairs meetings. We are combining an opening information event and open member forum before the formal government affairs meeting. Members are encouraged and invited to attend all or some of the morning with us. You can find a full calendar of WeSERV Government Affairs events and meetings at www.weservgad.org. 

I hope you will consider joining us for our March special event on March 22nd :Coffee with Representative Lesko at 10am in our Peoria office. If you have questions you would like have asked of Representative Lesko, please send those to me at [email protected].

We are currently seeking WeSERV members who would like to sit on a candidate interview workgroup in April or May. We will be interviewing candidates for pre-selected races in each of our chapters and need members to sit on those workgroups asking questions and discussing candidates. If you are interested in interviewing candidates running for office in your chapter area, please call or email me.

WeSERV GAD: Advocating for private property rights, the right to private contract and YOUR business!

Song Credits:

WEPA Song Credits: "Wepa" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

 WERQ Song Credits: "Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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As many of you might remember, Waters of the U.S. were the words contained in the Clean Water Act referring to navigable waters the EPA could regulate. Over time the meaning of “navigable waters” has changed from being waters that were actually navigable (1871) to broadening in the 1972 passage of the Clean Water Act with the Army Corp of Engineers adoption of a broader definition. The Corp’s broadened definition (1975) included mudflats, Intrastate lakes, rivers, wetlands, and streams, ponds, prairie potholes and as many of us remember from the 1980’s and 1990’s - tire ruts.

Rapanos v Army Corps of Engineers (2006)

Clean Water Act (1972)

U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona (2021)

EPA proposed new rule Federal Register (2022) - Note pg. 14 and pg. 24

Sackett Case 2012 Supreme Court Decision

Sackett Case 2022 Supreme Court Docket #21-454

Water in Az - flyer

email Liz at [email protected]

Feb. 9, 2022 Government Affairs Event & Meeting - in person at our Peoria office, or via zoom

9am-10am Homestead Act Changes 2022

10:15a-10:30a Open Forum

10:30a-12n Government Affairs Meeting

WeSERV GAD: Advocating for private property rights, the right to private contract and YOUR business!

Song Credits:

WEPA Song Credits: "Wepa" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

 WERQ Song Credits: "Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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WeSERV provided a rental survey with market context to Luke AFB as they requested increased BAH rates for 2022.

Find a complete list of WeSERV GAD meetings events at www.weservgad.org. Click on Upcoming Events.

The Arizona Redistricting Commission released the final redistricting maps in December. You can find the maps links at www.weservgad.org.

The WeSERV study conducted by Rounds Consulting is available at www.weservgad.org. Read more about the proposed SR-30 and the various outcomes, including lost opportunities, in our study Economic and Fiscal Impacts of the State Route-30 Freeway.

Candidate Interviews have begun. The WeSERV Candidate Interview Workgroup conducted the Tempe City Council interviews on January 12th. There recommendations will be forwarded to the WeSERV Board of Directors for approval before being sent to the Arizona REALTORS RAPAC Trustee Committee.

If you would like to interview candidates running for office in 2022, please let Liz Recchia know. We will be conducting interviews across our chapters. You can find a preliminary GAD calendar at www.weservgad.org.

WeSERV Government Affairs meetings will be a bit different this year. We will start off at 9am with a one hour event with a decision maker of interest. Then we will have a 15 minute open forum to discuss what is on your mind. the last 1.5 hours will be the WeSERV Government Affairs Committee Meeting. You can find a list of those events and meetings at www.weservgad.org. Attend as much of the morning as you wish. We will start off at 9am, with the Government Affairs Committee meeting being from 10:30am to 12 noon. All meetings will be in person at one of our chapter offices and live streamed.

Our next Government Affairs event and meeting will be Feb. 9th at our Peoria office. From 9am to 10am we will be discussing the changes to Arizona's Homestead laws. At 10:15am we will have a 15 minute open forum, and from 10:30am to 12 noon will be our Government Affairs Committee Meeting.

song credits:

WEPA Song Credits: "Wepa" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

 WERQ Song Credits: "Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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www.weservgad.org has interactive economic development maps from several of our cities and towns. Click on "Maps" to find a map.

GAD Events:

October 27th from 9am to 1130am - City of Avondale Economic Development Bus Tour with the Mayor and Economic Development Director. This is a free event, but you must register to attend.

Nov. 2nd is the Casa Grande Economic Development Bus Tour from 1030am to 1pm. The Mayor will conduct the tour and we will have lunch with the Mayor and Economic Development Director.

Nov. 18th is our Sierra Vista Economic Development Bus Tour from 1030amt to 1pm. The Economic Development Director will be leading the tour and staying for our lunch & learn.

Fair Housing, ADA & Disparate Impact: What You Need to Know - 3 CE Fair Housing. Join us for an in person event on Nov. 3rd at our West Valley office in Peoria. The event will be from 130pm to 430pm. Members who wish to attend the event remotely may attend at our Pinal office or our Cochise office.

These events are free, but you must register so that we have seats and food for all.

Song credits:

WEPA Song Credits: "Wepa" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

 WERQ Song Credits: "Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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Arizona’s redistricting for Legislative and Congressional voting districts began earlier this year with the appointment of a 5 person independent commission, the IRC. The Commission was tasked with starting from scratch to draw all new districts, not re-draw existing districts.

Now, that commission has released the first grid maps for consideration and comment by the public. The next public meeting will be in Surprise on Oct. 7th at 4pm at the Vista Center of the Arts on Parkview Place. 

You can watch past IRC meetings at the Arizona Redistricting Commission website and access more information so that you can provide valuable input to the commission.

Of particular interest is the meeting on September 14th when the IRC discussed the grid maps and approved them.

Super Fund Sites: blogpost “Disclosing Superfund, WQARF and DOD sites – Maps to help your client”. 

WeSERV hosted the initial meetings of the Cochise and Santa Cruz Broadband Action Team meetings in September. You can read more detailed information on these two meetings at www.weservgad.org. Click on “Local News”. 

WeSERV GAD Events:

Our next event is an in-person Candidate Training on October 20th from 9am to 5pm at ASU Skysong in Scottsdale. 

Coming on November 3rd at our West Valley office in Peoria is our Fair Housing, ADA and Disparate Impact event. 

Registration will be opening soon for this free, DRE approved 3 CE in Fair Housing, event on November 3rd from 1:30pm to 4:30pm. 

Last up – watch the WeSERV Newsletters and www.weservgad.org as we begin our City bus tours of selected cities

WeSERV GAD: advocating for private property rights, the right to private contract and YOUR business!

Song Credits:

WEPA Song Credits: "Wepa" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ 

WERQ Song Credits:

"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices