The 2000 GOP Platform expected to be adopted by the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia this week contains a number of provisions supported by the National Association of Realtors that will greatly benefit home buyers and sellers if adopted as federal policies.

The Republican Platform contains a strong statement in support of homeownership, including an endorsement of the mortgage interest deduction. It also supports policies to encourage affordable housing and homeownership for low-income American families, and promotes policies to protect Internet data, including real estate brokers' listings, from piracy.

On smart growth issues, the platform closely parallels NAR policy, which insists on local and state, not federal, decision-making on land use policies and growth-related issues and supports market-based solutions to managing growth. The platform also includes strong support for using Superfund monies to clean up "brownfields" or environmentally distressed properties.

NAR President Dennis R. Cronk credited April Newland, a member of the platform committee and a Realtor from the U.S. Virgin Islands, with helping to see that essential elements of the association's policy were reflected in the GOP Platform.

"The final platform document is a tribute to the power of Realtors' involvement in the political process. Ms. Newland's understanding of housing issues, coupled with the involvement of thousands of Realtors nationwide in both political parties, helps to ensure that homeownership is a core principle of policies enacted by the next Administration and the 102nd Congress." Cronk cited other provisions important to Realtors in the platform, including:

• Endorsement of private property rights and calling for protecting them in the context of environmental policies;
• Repeal of the federal estate tax;
• One hundred percent deductibility of health insurance costs;
• Support for open housing laws and vigorous opposition to discrimination based on sex, race, creed, age, religion, disability or national origin;
• Further reductions of the capital gains tax beyond the 20 percent level enacted in 1997; and
• Opposition to taxes on Internet access fees.

The National Association of Realtors, "The Voice for Real Estate," is America's largest professional association, representing more than 750,000 members involved in all aspects of the real estate industry.