Texvirginia

This past week, El Jefe called me, encouraging me to attend my local association's (very bad) chicken lunch, where we would be sold a bill of goods to vote on. At the time, El Jefe said he was luke warm on the the idea of two local realtor associations merging into one. I didn't have an opinion one way or another, but there is a vote coming up and I might want to think about which side I was on.

Here's the gist: two realtor associations in the Phoenix metro area are thinking about merging. Except their members (us agents) are not in geographical proximity. One association is on the other side of town and much smaller than my association. Both associations are financially viable. However, there doesn't seem to be a real reason to merge. If these two associations merge, the seats each have on the Arizona Association of Realtors (for representation purposes) will no longer be four but instead, there will be two seats. I am told there are some really great perks, but I don't know what they are--even though I sat through two hours of this sunshine presentation and reviewed the four-color brochure someone put together.

If you will, think of it as analogous to Texas and West Virginia opting to merge into one new state. All the land in between is just irrelevant as far as these two states are concerned. The panel in front of us today, was selling us the reason why this is a good idea. We are being told Texvirginia will have more respect among the other states. We are told we will get more positive press. We will be able to attract more goodies, such as public speakers to Texvirgina, because we will be one of the largest states out there. Mind you, Texas is one of the largest states already--just like my realtor association is in the top ten in the nation.

As a Texan, I really didn't see a viable reason to make this happen. West Virginia is way over to the North East and whatever happens in a merger will be more of an impact on them, because they are smaller and they are being assimilated. Except, the entire concept makes no sense, no matter how many Texan and West Virginia mayors are standing in front of me, smiling, and saying "Isn't this great?!"

There were about 30 of us in the room, but nobody seemed as keen on the idea of the merger as the folks who stood in front of us with plastered smiles. And come on! If you are going to sell something to sales people and provide them with a crappy lunch, at least make reasons for a merger sound convincing.

Most of the questions from the brokers came with a performance. After a few minutes of dancing, the West Virginia governor said that my dues will go down about $20 when he was asked, twice. Wasn't that great?! And after I called him out for not answering the question I had asked while he juggled a few mundane facts, the clown from Texas said that the Senate will still only get two votes in Congress and the House of Representatives count will have to be negotiated. So basically, Texas and West Virginia will both be losing representation.

On March 15 the members of two local realtor associations will vote to see if the members want to merge. In order to vote, one has to be present at precisely 1 p.m. When asked (not by me) why we couldn't just vote online, the President of Texas said, "that's not how it is done," which I pointed out that is exactly how local association elections are done and that is why he is President.

It seems to me this merger is a foregone conclusion and today's lunch was just a formality. As a Texan, it probably won't affect me too much. But I am feeling sorry for the West Virginians. And after this merge, I am sure a merger with Kentucky and Maryland won't be far behind.