Pillow Talk - DIY

Have you ever thought, “There ought to be a law against that!”? Have you ever driven into a pothole and thought, “Someone should fix that!”? Have you ever driven back at 2:00 a.m. from WinStar and thought, “We need casinos in Texas!”? How many times have you seen the folks running for president and said out loud, “Is that the best we can do? Really, this bunch?” Do you live by the motto if you want something done right, do it yourself? More importantly. have you ever applied that mantra to politics? Have you ever considered running for elected office?

Last month, Pillow Talk continued the personal aspect of advocacy by encouraging you to ask someone to run for elected office. This month, we explore the possibility that someone is you.

Too young, too old. Too busy, too tired. Too many skeletons. Too expensive. Too opinionated, too shy. Too hard. Too corrupting. Too partisan. Too many commitments. Too much competition. Too loud, too quiet. Most of all, too scared.

I have met hundreds of candidates for public office. National and local. Incumbents and novices. Male and female. Democrat and Republican. Rich and poor. College-educated and high school dropouts. Texans and Yankees. All of them had to overcome the above excuses and conquer their fears. They did, and so can you.

You need a strong team of supporters and the willingness to work hard. It is not easy, but it can be done. Elected officials are not unique superhumans with extraordinary intellect and unlimited resources! They are just people who said, “Enough is enough. Time to DIY”.

Your neighbors need you, and your AATC family needs you. We need business-minded real estate professionals elected to public office. Remember, if you do not have a seat at the table, you are on the menu.

Don’t believe what I am saying? Then check these AATC members who heeded the DIY call:  

• Craig Goldman (R) – state representative and running for Congress (TX -12)
• Stephanie Klick (R) – state representative (HD – 91)
• Malissa Minucci - Watauga City Council  
• James Buford (R) – running for Congress (TX -6)  

Sometimes, a simple ask is all it takes. Sometimes, the best place to find a suitable candidate is in the mirror.

AATC MEMBER CRAIG GOLDMAN RUNNING FOR CONGRESS – Long-serving Fort Worth-area member of Congress and AATC friend Kay Granger (R – TX 12) announced that she is not seeking congressional reelection. Granger chairs the powerful House Appropriations Committee. AATC and the entire DFW region will miss Granger’s leadership. The good news is that long-time AATC member and state representative Craig Goldman is running to replace Granger. AATC strongly supports Goldman and NAA PAC has just donated $5,000 towards his campaign. 

NOVEMBER 7TH CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ELECTION RESULTS - Texas voters approved 13 of 14 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. Voters approved measures for property tax cuts, a raise for retired teachers, and more spending on infrastructure. The only amendment that did not pass was Proposition 13, which would have increased the mandatory retirement age for judges from 75 to 79 years old.  

FY24 AATC MUNICIPAL FEE SURVEY AVAILABLE - Texas cities and counties adopt their fiscal-year budgets, including taxes and fees, in October. Based on this information, AATC annually publishes on November 1 a Municipal Fee Survey for the twelve largest cities in Tarrant County. AATC’s Municipal Fee Survey includes population, ad valorum (property) tax rate, inspection/registration fee, and water rates. AATC posts this information on the AATC website under our Advocate section. Click on the following link (https://www.aatcnet.org/local-fees-and-taxes) to view the results. 

CONTRIBUTE TO THE AATC PAC – AATC’s advocacy efforts depend on all our members doing their part to support candidates that align with AATC’s financial interests. Please contribute to the AATC PAC by clicking the link: https://form.jotform.com/220464310148143.

FORT WORTH WATER EFFICIENCY ASSESSMENTS - The City of Fort Worth Water Conservation program offers no-cost, no-obligation Water Efficiency Opportunity Surveys to multi-family properties with Fort Worth Water accounts as part of its comprehensive water conservation strategy. The SmartWater ICI Assessment Program aims to help reduce water consumption by finding opportunities to improve water use efficiency, resulting in reduced water, wastewater, and electricity costs. For more information, contact Kelsey Kosik, Conservation Specialist, Fort Worth Water Department, at (817) 360-7911 or Kelsey.Kosik@fortworthtexas.gov.

Perry Pillow is AATC’s Director of Government Affairs. For more information, contact Perry at  ppillow@aatcnet.org  or call 817-701-6353