officers’ message What Is INDEPAC?
O
ne of the missions of the Texas Independent Automobile Dealers Association is to maintain a strong, involved presence in the Texas Legislature to protect and preserve the used car industry. Our association, from the Legislative Committee to the TIADA staff, keeps a watchful eye on potential legislation that could affect dealers. One of the ways we accomplish this is by maintaining close relationships with legislators on both sides of the aisle so we can serve as a resource when the need arises. Our political action committee, INDEPAC, plays an important role in this process. Through INDEPAC we can make contributions to legislative campaigns that align with the association’s philosophy. However, INDEPAC is not a part of your dues and it cannot be a dealership expense. The contributions must come from you personally. So, let’s get personal. I make, and will continue to make, a personal contribution to INDEPAC every year. I clearly see the benefit and realize the important role it plays in my personal life. If my business is doing well, my personal life is usually going well too. My concern is found on page 7 of this magazine. It appears that less than 1% of you are helping to support the industry. The math is easy, if each member contributed just $100 to INDEPAC, that would exceed the largest annual contribution ever. That’s less than one doc fee for most dealers. If you operate an independent dealership in Texas, you have benefitted from the advocacy that INDEPAC makes possible. In the 2017 session, TIADA advocated
by Juan
Sabillón
Mi Tierra Auto Sales (Houston) TIADA CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
for legislation that eliminated the annual registration and renewal fee for Related Finance Companies after the initial RFC registration. That is a savings of $600 annually! Additionally, TIADA also effectively lobbied for the passage of a bill eliminating the OCCC notification requirement when a dealer charges less than the safe harbor limit of $150. This helps dealers avoid costly penalties that could reach thousands of dollars. In the 2019 session, we saw the fruition of two longstanding issues for the association with the passage of a bill that prohibits named driver insurance policies and one for required pre-licensing education for auto dealers. You can see how much savings these and other TIADA initiatives affect your dealership’s bottom line with the online INDEPAC Savings calculator at txiada.org under Resources >> Advocacy. There you will also find a way to donate, or you can turn to page 6 to find a donation form. Just fill it out and mail it to TIADA with your contribution! We are fighting for the interests of dealers across the state, and it is critical that INDEPAC receives support from dealers like you, every one of you. In December, TIADA will print its final list of INDEPAC contributors — there is plenty of room for your name to be added to that list. As I mentioned earlier, your contribution must be made with a personal check or credit card. Corporate contributions are prohibited by state law. This is not just another business expense, nor should it be — this is personal. If your name is found on page 7, thank you for your support.
... if you operate an independent dealership in Texas, you have benefitted from the advocacy that INDEPAC makes possible. October 2020
T e x a s
D e a l e r
5
