ERNEST LANDANTE, JR.

Real estate agents in New Jersey had millions at stake. Proposed legislation would allow municipalities to impose a fee on residential real estate sales, which would depress home sales and harm the real estate industry.

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New Jersey REALTORS® asked me to conduct an issue advocacy campaign to inform the public and educate legislators about the fee's impact on homeownership.

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We reframed the debate around a costly and burdensome tax on the homes of New Jersey families by replacing the term "realty transfer fee" with "home sales tax" in all campaign ads and news releases.

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Advertising channels included print, radio, and digital, and earned media included news releases, op-ed articles, letters to the editor, and editorial board visits.

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The campaign's website featured a home sales tax calculator, beneath which we placed the campaign's online petition for individuals to register their opposition to a local home sales tax.

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We also produced a "person on the street" video of New Jersey homeowners opposing the tax, which we posted on the campaign website and shared via email.

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The campaign successfully dissuaded lawmakers from considering the legislation, and it was never scheduled for a vote in either the State Senate or General Assembly.