From The President
Welcome to our new web site and our new member communication system. Through this site, and our new TARA Membership Update, you are now connected to all information and actions of the association. From here you can track member information, Board actions, meetings, legislative and regulatory affairs, our annual buying show, and other important information you need to operate your businesses more efficiently and profitably. And this is just the start. We plan to make future additions to this site to enhance its usefulness in your daily operations.
This site is only one of the many improvements your TARA Board of Directors has made over the past year. Last summer, we hired a professional management company to run the daily operations of the association, improve our communications, expand our membership, and help us further develop our government affairs program. We revamped our convention and buying show to better fit the needs of our dealer and vendor members. And once again, we have adopted an aggressive agenda in the 81st Texas Legislature to continue to improve the regulatory environment for RTO operations across the state.
In the Texas Legislature, we are pursuing legislation to eliminate our state's property tax on rented inventory. In 2007, we were able to get this legislation through the House, but the bill died in the Senate. This session we are attempting to resolve the issues in the Senate first. At this time, we are meeting with Senate leaders to clear a path for our bill. When we get this legislation moving, all members will need to get involved by contacting their state representative and senator and asking their support for this legislation. We will keep you informed of our progress through this web site and our new email update.
I am very proud to announce the TARA 26th Annual Convention & Southwest Buying Show will be held October 11-12 at the beautiful Hotel InterContinental-Dallas, a few blocks from the Galleria shopping area. I urge all of you to make plans now to attend this annual showcase event for the Texas rent-to-own industry. Your support of this event helps fund many association activities and efforts. So, please plan now to attend.
I would like to thank the membership for this opportunity to serve again as your president. It is both an honor and a privilege to serve in this capacity, and I want you to know I am committed to keeping the association at the top during my last year in office. Together, we can continue to improve our industry and keep TARA the number one RTO state association in the country.
