Texas Builder, Mar/Apr 2016

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14 Texas Association of Builders March/April 2016
HOMEPAC
I t is obvious from news sources and
social media that it is an election year.
And, at the writing of this column in
early February, there is still much to
be decided. Although TAB understands
and maintains its year-round obligation
to educate elected officials about the home
building industry, the State of Texas voter
turnout and registration figures show that
Texans are not going in droves to vote.
During the 2014 March Gubernatorial
Republican primary, a mere 9.98% of
registered voters submitted their ballot
at the polls. That is, out of nearly 13.6
million registered Texans, only 1.3
million cast a vote in the 2014 Republican
primary. Even worse, only 560,000 voted
in the Democratic primary. Although the
number of registered voters increased
from the 2012 to the 2014 March primaries
(by 600,000), voter turnout decreased,
with an 11% of voter turnout in the 2012
Republican primary.
Texans have a stronger voice than that!
Let’s prove it during the March 1, 2016
primary. If you’re registered to vote, take a
stand and vote for who is best to represent
you at the Texas Capitol. The primaries
are just as, if not more, important than
the general election in November.
That is because many of the races for
Congress and the Texas Legislature are
decided in the March primary, not the
general election.
The primary and general elections this
year are not only for the U.S. President,
but for all the members of the U.S. House
of Representatives, the 150 members of
the Texas House of Representatives and
over half of the 31 Texas Senators. These
are the elected officials that represent your
hometown, your school districts, and your
businesses. Make sure to vote for the most
qualified person to represent your needs.
To remain vigilant and current on election
news, and to receive important voting
reminders, be sure to sign up for alerts
through the TAB Advocacy & Action Center
at or on TAB’s
Facebook page under the 'Take Action' tab.
With the potential for new personalities in
office, your vote and HOMEPAC are needed
more than ever before. Just as important are
HOMEPAC’s efforts to make sure current
legislators and other elected officials who
share our commitment to providing quality,
affordable housing to future generations of
Texans, have the support to conduct their
campaigns for public office. It is essential
that the Legislature and state-wide officials
preserve and promote a positive climate
for the residential construction and deve-
lopment industry in Texas. This can be
achieved by maintaining the strength
of TAB’s HOMEPAC, which is only
possible with the help and support of our
TAB members.
Through hard work and dedication of
members and local home builders assoc-
iations, HOMEPAC was able to meet 137%
of its 2015 fundraising goal. The 20 local
associations that met or exceeded their
2015 goals will be presented plaques at
the upcoming Winter Board of Directors
Meeting in San Antonio.
Also during the Winter Board Meetings,
there will be an opportunity for you to
contribute to HOMEPAC by showing
off your golfing skills. HOMEPAC is
sponsoring an evening at TopGolf—
an event that was a success last year,
and one that was heavily solicited as a
return fundraiser. The event will benefit
HOMEPAC, so invite some friends for what
will surely be an enjoyable night. Be sure to
see the ad for the TopGolf Fundraiser on
page 19 of this Texas Builder edition.
To learn more about HOMEPAC and how
your contribution will benefit you, visit
Carol Longacre is the President of Longacre
Construction Company in Lewisville, TX.
Carol currently serves as the volunteer chair
of the HOMEPAC Board of Trustees.
By Carol Longacre
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE
LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS FOR MEETING
100% OF THEIR 2015 HOMEPAC GOALS:
ASSOCIATION % OF GOAL
El Paso Association of Builders 372%
HBA of San Angelo 308%
HBA of Grayson, Fannin, Cooke Counties 289%
Deep East Texas Association of Builders 282%
Big Country HBA 264%
North Texas HBA 186%
Greater Houston BA 183%
Dallas Builders Association 169%
Texas Panhandle BA 159%
Tyler Area BA 149%
Permian Basin HBA 144%
Heart of Texas BA 139%
West Texas HBA 128%
BA of Corpus Christi 127%
Hill Country BA 127%
Greater Fort Worth BA 124%
East Texas BA 106%
Greater Brazos Valley BA 102%
Temple Area HBA 101%
BA of Victoria 100%
Voting Texans Have a Strong Voice!