Marin Association of Realtors: Taking No Position

Recently, the president of the Marin Association of Realtors (MAR) Mary Kay Yamamoto wrote an editorial in the Independent Journal’s Marin Voice column outlining our organization’s position on six different ballot measures.  Ultimately MAR decided to take a position on only one of the six measures, endorsing the Measure B parcel tax in the Tamalpais Union High School District.  On the other five measures MAR officially is taking no position.

As a Realtor with an undergraduate degree in political science, I understand I’m sticking my neck out by even weighing in on the subject.  When I personally take a political stand on anything I potentially alienate a future client and lose business. 

Ostensibly that’s not why MAR is taking ‘no position’.  Their rationale is that they want voters to become educated for themselves and make their own decisions.  That seems like a very innocuous approach.

The issue I have with this approach is that many people rely on organizations like MAR to do the research and come up with endorsements.  When organizations representing nurses, firemen and the police endorse a measure people take notice and direction.  I’m not sure among the general public what kind of weight is given to MAR endorsements, but I know their positions help me personally make decisions.  I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that other Realtors take direction from MAR.  It would seem to be MAR's responsibility to make endorsements.

When I first started voting decades ago I remember going to the polls and only voting on one or two measures or candidates.  Later the economist in me would realize that the opportunity cost of such an approach was too high.  Sure I was voting on who and what I knew best, but what about the rest?  As a citizen not only do I have the right to vote, but I feel it’s my duty to take a position even if I’m not 100 percent informed.

In a perfect world everyone would become fully educated on all the issues and vote with complete understanding and clarity.  I dare say that such an approach, while ideal, is impossible.  Even the most educated among us sometimes don’t understand the implication of their own actions, much less ultimately how a community is going to be effected by a ballot measure.

We gain access to the information that is at our disposal.  We form opinions which are sometimes flawed because we are human.  We take positions and cast our votes and do the best we can under the circumstances.

The odds are pretty good that collectively the MAR representatives spent more time researching and debating the ballot measures than any one Realtor will before the election.  It would have been nice to see MAR provide direction to its constituents.

What is the opportunity cost of taking no position?  It could be a favorable outcome for MAR.