Government Affairs
Opening Doors to the American Dream
A primary objective of the BIA is to provide issue advocacy before local governments on a host of tax and regulatory issues for the building industry. The Government Affairs Committee is responsible for prioritizing the advocacy direction and resources to address them. The top issues affecting the building industry include the following:
Local Representatives
GAC Chair
Eric Golemo
SGA Engineering & Design
Serves on BIA Board of Directors
Position Chair/strong>
First Last
Company
Info section (brief).
BIG PAC Board Chair
Jamie Howsley
Jordan Ramis PC
He is an attorney at and serves on the BIA Board of Directors.
Position Chair
First Last
Company
Info section (brief).
Growth Management
The BIA supports responsible implementation of the state’s Growth Management Act (GMA) through the adoption of a balanced Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan should set Urban Growth Boundaries to include a 20-year supply of buildable land to ensure affordable housing and economic growth.
Environmental Regulations
The BIA supports environmental regulations that are based on proven, relevant science and that are balanced against their economic impacts.
Affordable Housing
The BIA supports market driven pricing of homes to provide affordable housing to homebuyers at all income levels.
Taxes & Fees
Each new home includes $71,000 or more in taxes and fees.* For this reason, the BIA believes that it is imperative to review all proposed tax and fee increases to ensure that they provide true benefit to the homebuyer and do not unnecessarily increase the cost of housing.
*University of Washington 2007 Study on Median House Prices.