According to the Office of the New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, the 2-percent property tax cap law enacted in 2011 will limit school district tax levies in the 2012-2013 school year to an average increase of 3 percent, due to the specific formula within the law. Click here to learn more.

All REALTORS must take ethics training that complies with specific learning objectives and criteria prior to December 31, 2012. Click here to learn more.

NYSAR is actively working to block legislation that would require a water quality test as a condition of the transfer of any real property served by a well. NYSAR strongly supports legislation to provide a more streamlined process when real estate salespersons change the brokerage in which they work for. Click here to learn more.

REALTOR members attending the NAR Mid-Year Meetings are encouraged to attend NAR's Virtual Town Hall webinar on Wednesday, May 9, at 3 p.m. This webinar will help you prepare for your visits with members of Congress in May. Click here to learn more.

NYSAR's annual Lobby Day will be held Tuesday, June 12, 2012, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Albany. NYSAR will once again reimburse anyone wishing to participate in Lobby Day 50 percent of your total individual travel costs including gas, tolls, and/or a hotel room up to $75! Click here to learn more. Click here to read then entire Government Affairs Weekly Update.

The Tuesday, May 8, NYSAR Radio show will explore the basics of real estate legal information as well as member-only legal services provided by NYSAR and resources on NYSAR.com. Tune in at 10 a.m. on May 8 by clicking here. Click here for more information.

NYSAR will be hosting the third webinar in the three-part agency webinar series on Thursday, May 17. This webinar, presented by NYSAR Director of Legal Services Anthony Gatto, Esq., will focus on dual agency and dual agency with designated sales agents. If you missed parts one and two, visit the Media Center at NYSAR.com to view the webinar recordings at your convenience. To attend, you must first register.

REALTOR Institute 403 – "Financing to Increase Homeownership" – will be offered May 7 at the Long Island REALTOR Service Center in West Babylon, NY. This course shows you how to research products, qualify buyers and explain the best financing options for your clients. Click here for more information or to register.

REALTOR Institute 404 – "Serving Real Estate Investors" – will be offered May 8 at the Long Island REALTOR Service Center in West Babylon, NY. In this course, you'll learn how to complete financial calculations, explain concepts used in evaluating real estate as an investment, and help clients negotiate, purchase, finance, manage and sell commercial and/or investment property. Click here for more information or to register.

REALTOR Institute 401 – "Get it Listed...Get it Sold"– will be offered May 8 - 9 at the Greater Rochester Association of REALTORS in Rochester, NY. This course teaches you new methods of marketing and how to integrate technology into your business to increase your listings, sales and profits. Click here for more information or to register.

NYSAR's partnership with MongoFAX gives you free access to their fax-to-email service, which allows you to fax any paper-based document directly to any email address. Click here to learn more.

Congratulations to our April RPAC auction winner Susie Madden-Hemmer from the Sullivan County Board of REALTORS. Thank you Susie for investing in RPAC! Click here to learn more.

The return on your RPAC investments means real savings for REALTORS and consumers. Take a look at some of the things your RPAC dollars have accomplished for you and your industry by clicking here.