# ARDA ROC/PAC Voluntary Contribution



## NJN2Mom (Nov 21, 2008)

I am looking over my maintenance fees. What does the $10 per unit ARDA ROC/PAC Voluntary Contribution pay for?  What has this "political arm" done for timeshare owners lately?  Is it worthwhile? Do YOU pay the fee?


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## SueDonJ (Nov 21, 2008)

NJN2Mom said:


> I am looking over my maintenance fees. What does the $10 per unit ARDA ROC/PAC Voluntary Contribution pay for?  What has this "political arm" done for timeshare owners lately?  Is it worthwhile? Do YOU pay the fee?



We don't pay the fee, and never felt a need to investigate it beyond making sure that not paying it would have no negative effect on the use of our weeks.


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## JimC (Nov 21, 2008)

We do not pay the fee because a group that represents developer interests is not representing owner interests.  IF this were a worthwhile group for owners the HOAs would support it.


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## dioxide45 (Nov 21, 2008)

We paid it last year, and I may this year. Unfortunatly lobbying is necessary in the political envrionment. With the need for possible a bailout for the TS industry, that $10 may go a long way. I believe TUG is also a member of the ARDA.


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## JimC (Nov 22, 2008)

Why would the timeshare industry need a bailout?


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## Garnet (Nov 25, 2008)

My understanding is that they have lobbied against timeshares paying hotel transient fees, that sort of thing.  If we had to pay those "hotel" taxes it would up our costs.  And make it tougher for developers to sell.  A rare win-win for TS owners and developers.  And yes, I typically pay the voluntary fee.


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## dioxide45 (Nov 25, 2008)

Garnet said:


> My understanding is that they have lobbied against timeshares paying hotel transient fees, that sort of thing.  If we had to pay those "hotel" taxes it would up our costs.  And make it tougher for developers to sell.  A rare win-win for TS owners and developers.  And yes, I typically pay the voluntary fee.



This is a great point. Visitors to Hawaii know these taxes very well. If all governments charged these taxes it would make timesharing far less attractive to me as an owner thus making it harder for developers to sell weeks. The small fee now may save many larger ones in the future.


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## Jennie (Nov 26, 2008)

ARDA is under government investigation. Look how they have used the fees collected from hundreds of thousands of timeshare owners!

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85968


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## Icarus (Nov 26, 2008)

I can't believe those of you that pay it.

The ARDA contribution fits right in with the way developers run the timeshare industry. They have you paying for their lobbyists. ARDA doesn't represent you in any way or form, and if you don't make that contribution they will continue to lobby for the things you mentioned because it helps the developers.

Don't be a fool.

And this is the first I heard that somebody thinks TUG is a member of ARDA. I'd like to know if that's true or not.

-David


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## dioxide45 (Nov 26, 2008)

Icarus said:


> And this is the first I heard that somebody thinks TUG is a member of ARDA. I'd like to know if that's true or not.
> 
> -David



Check the bottom of the main TUG page at http://www.tug2.net/


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## JimC (Nov 26, 2008)

dioxide45 said:


> Check the bottom of the main TUG page at http://www.tug2.net/



What a colossal waste of our TUG money!  I repeat my earlier question,  if ARDA was such an important organization for owners why aren't the HOAs members?  Show me a significant body of specific legislation where they made a difference in the outcome and that outcome was beneficial to owners.


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## Icarus (Nov 26, 2008)

dioxide45 said:


> Check the bottom of the main TUG page at http://www.tug2.net/



I'll have to rethink renewing my paid membership here, if they are paying money to ARDA.

-David


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## SueDonJ (Nov 26, 2008)

Icarus said:


> I'll have to rethink renewing my paid membership here, if they are paying money to ARDA.
> 
> -David



TUG is too valuable a resource to me to not pay membership here; we've certainly gotten our money's worth.  Plus, based on Brian's post in the Lounge thread it looks like he may be taking a second look at TUG's support of ARDA.  That's enough for me.


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## TUGBrian (Nov 26, 2008)

TUG was given a complimentary ARDA membership, we do not pay for it.

However as mentioned in the other thread, if this story does turn out to be true...its certainly not something TUG would support in any way shape or form.


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## JimC (Nov 26, 2008)

TUGBrian said:


> TUG was given a complimentary ARDA membership, we do not pay for it.
> 
> However as mentioned in the other thread, if this story does turn out to be true...its certainly not something TUG would support in any way shape or form.



Excellent!


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## IngridN (Nov 26, 2008)

NJN2Mom said:


> I am looking over my maintenance fees. What does the $10 per unit ARDA ROC/PAC Voluntary Contribution pay for?  What has this "political arm" done for timeshare owners lately?  Is it worthwhile? Do YOU pay the fee?



NO.  As others have posted, ARDA represents the developers.

Ingrid


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## Icarus (Nov 26, 2008)

TUGBrian said:


> TUG was given a complimentary ARDA membership, we do not pay for it.
> 
> However as mentioned in the other thread, if this story does turn out to be true...its certainly not something TUG would support in any way shape or form.



Brian,

Thank you for the clarification.

Personally, I would like to see you disassociate TUG from ARDA and remove the link and logo from the TUG web site. The "free" membership, IMO, is just another way that they give the illusion that ARDA represents owners interests, and IMO, it doesn't, except in some cases where developers interests and owners interests overlap. Even then, their real constituency is the developers.

-David


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## dioxide45 (Nov 26, 2008)

JimC said:


> What a colossal waste of our TUG money!  I repeat my earlier question,  if ARDA was such an important organization for owners why aren't the HOAs members?  Show me a significant body of specific legislation where they made a difference in the outcome and that outcome was beneficial to owners.



It may be the lack of legislation where you get the benefit. Would you prefer to pay transient taxes on all of your nightly TS stays? The fact that legislation has not been enacted in many states it to your benefit.


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## JimC (Nov 27, 2008)

dioxide45 said:


> It may be the lack of legislation where you get the benefit. Would you prefer to pay transient taxes on all of your nightly TS stays? The fact that legislation has not been enacted in many states it to your benefit.



So show me where they defeated the legislation.  If they want support they need to demonstrate results that benefit owners.  

And quite honestly, living in Florida I understand the need for transient taxes when the economy is largely based on tourism.  There is a significant infrastructure investment and operating costs that support tourism and the tax base needs to be fairly allocated between residents and tourists.  That is not an easy discussion and requires an in-depth understanding of the state and local tax structure.  It is not an all of nothing proposition.


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## Dave M (Nov 27, 2008)

Jim -

ARDA has been instrumental many times in lobbying successfully for and against (depending on the issue) legislation and tax assessors' administrative decisions with resulting positive impact for timeshare owners. Many of those lobbying efforts have been reported here on TUG.

A sampling of ARDA's recent successful efforts:

- The Taney County, Missouri Assessor's office decided last year that any lodging facility renting or advertising rooms for transient use for even one night of the year will be reclassified on a commercial property tax basis, effectively raising property taxes that would be passed on to timeshare owners through MFs by 13%. ARDA, working in concert with outside counsel and a coalition of opponents to the decision, helped convince the Board of Equalization to reverse the adverse decision.

- After some seven years of working on litigation, proposed legislation, rules and ordinances, ARDA achieved its goal of preventing taxation of timeshare owners and exchangers in Washoe County, Nevada. The Washoe County Commission passed the transient lodging tax ordinance amendment clarifying how transient lodging taxes apply to timeshares. ARDA was successful in getting language into the ordinance that excludes from the transient tax any timeshare unit occupied by the owner of the timeshare unit or by non-paying guests of the owner. ARDA is currently working in Clark County (Las Vegas) to ensure similarly proposed legislation doesn't turn out unfavorable to timeshare owners.

- In 2007, ARDA proposed language that was included in Tennessee HB1016 (ultimately signed into law) that would ensure an expanded transient tax would not apply to timeshare exchanges.

- The Rhode Island legislature passed a law in 2007 (for the third year in a row) that would have had an adverse impact on timeshare property taxes. For the third year in a row, ARDA helped to convince the governor to veto the measure. ARDA is still working to head off such legislation.

- In my state (South Carolina), a bill was introduced in 2007 that would assess a $5 nightly tax on all timeshare units occupied by other than the owner (including other family members!). ARDA's efforts helped to kill the bill.

- A much older, but more dramatic example dates back to 1997. The IRS had been attempting to tax capital reserves of timeshare HOAs to the extent they were used for what the IRS deemed to be maintenance and repairs, even if the expenditures were in the HOA's capital budget. ARDA put out a call to owners and HOAs and there was a gigantic letter-writing effort to key members of Congress. The end result was an inclusion in the Homeowners Association Act of 1997 to clarify and correct the position the IRS had been trying to take.

I can add many, many more, but that's a start. I hope that's good enough for you.


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## Dave M (Nov 27, 2008)

Adding -

Here is a partial listing of some of ARDA's 2006 efforts, some of which directly affected timeshare owners.


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## JimC (Nov 30, 2008)

Thank you Dave!


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## NJN2Mom (Nov 30, 2008)

*Thank you!*

I just wanted to know why the ARDA contribution was included on our M/F's.  I hate to be a sheep.  If I choose to pay the fee, I want to be informed.

MLN


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## Dave M (Nov 30, 2008)

There is a one page explanation that Marriott included in the envelope with your bill that explains why Marriott thinks the ARDA contributioin is woirthwhile. Here is a copy of most of that insert, which is also on the MVCI website:





> Year after year, Vacation Ownership owners are the target for federal, state and local lawmakers searching for various ways to raise revenue. So, who is working to protect our interests as Vacation Ownership owners? The American Resort Development Association’s Resort Owners Coalition Political Action Committee (ARDA-ROC PAC). We hope you will support the Coalition that represents our economic interests in state capitals and Washington, D.C.
> 
> ARDA is a thirty-nine year old Washington, D.C.-based industry trade association representing the resort industry through lobbying, consumer advocacy and a unique organization called ARDA-ROC PAC. “Politics has got so expensive that it takes lots of money to even get beat with!” Will Rogers said that in 1931 and it still rings true today. Campaigns are indeed expensive.
> 
> ...



Read that and this thread and judge for yourself.


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## toxicesq (Dec 1, 2008)

I believe that ARDA does perform a valuable service to timeshare owners as well as developers.  I pay the ARDA contribution when I pay the annual fee to my unaffiliated (with any large timeshare chain) resort.  I do not include it with my Marriott annual fees because I think that Marriott has as great an interest as I do in protecting timeshares and it can support ARDA with its own money.


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