Here’s a partial list of NHAR actions during the two-week period preceding the June 24 passage of the New Hampshire state budget, which ultimately DID NOT include a tax on refinancing or any expansion of the real estate transfer tax.  

• Talking points were prepared and distributed to all leadership so they would be ready to discuss with legislators, other members and the media.
  

•  Press releases were prepared and distributed to all of the statewide media outlets. 

• Bob Quinn and members of our lobbying firm, Bianco Professional Associates, met privately with more than a dozen key Senators and Representatives to present our position.

• Along with other industry leadership, I had the priviledge of meeting with Governor Lynch to present our position.

• Following that meeting, a letter from myself to the Governor was sent to confirm our position.

• Letters were sent to all 400 members of the NH House of Representatives and all 24 members of the NH Senate expressing our concern and providing them the rationale for our opposition.

• Immediate Past President Jim Lyons represented NHAR on the NHPR morning program “The Exchange” and explained our concerns and the reasons why.

• At the Governor's request, Paul Griffin, Public Policy Vice Chair Lynne Merrill and I met privately with the Governor for more than an hour to further vet our concerns, opposition and the rationale.

• A “Call to Action” was initiated using our “GetActive” system, that generated over 3,600 e-mails from our members to NH Legislators.

• The Public Policy Committee and the Executive Committee approved three full-page ads in the Sunday, June 14 editions of the Concord Monitor, Fosters Daily Democrat and the Nashua Telegraph and the Wednesday, June 17 edition of the Union Leader — all conceptualized, composed and formatted in-house.

• A second round of press releases were prepared and distributed to all of the statewide media outlets.

• Public Policy Chair Jeff Keeler, Vice Chair Lynne Merrill, Bob Quinn and I met with the Speaker of the NH House of Representatives, Terri Norelli, and other key legislators to express our concern and provide our rationale.

• Jeff and Bob met with Senate President Sylvia Larsen to express our concern and provide our rationale.

• Bob took up residence at the Legislative Office Building, sitting in on the Committee of Conference meetings.

Thanks to everyone who helped take this on.  It was truly a team effort and a shining example of our ability to respond quickly and effectively at the State House.

Paul Sargeant
2009 President, NHAR