Kansas Association of Realtors - Protect the Deduction
Following Kansas Governor Sam Brownback's new tax proposal, the Kansas Association of Realtors decided to take action because of a proposed elimination of itemized deductions on Kansas tax returns. The new proposal would include the elimination of a mortgage interest deduction that currently saves the average Kansas taxpayer $390 annually. The Kansas Association of Realtors, familiar with work that New Media Campaigns had done for both the North Carolina and Arizona Associations of Realtors, asked us to design and develop a site to help raise awareness about Governor Brownback's proposal and its significant economic impact on Kansas homeowners.
The site, developed on our HiFi Content Management System is designed to draw Kansas homeowners in with its very "Kansas" colors and imagery, and then to educate them about the importance of protecting the mortgage deduction, which obviously benefits both homeowners and realtors. Kansas wheatfields are the backdrop to prominent buttons highlighted in Kansas University blue and red.
A central and compelling feature of the site is the Mortgage Interest Deduction Calculator, featured prominently on the homepage. The calculator invites visitors to input what they owe on their current mortgage, and then shows them the impact caused by the loss of the mortgage interest deduction. In this way, the KAR is able to draw a direct connection to individual Kansas homeowners, showing them the very real and tangible effect of losing the mortgage interest deduction. NMC custom built the calculator to use an algorithm developed by the KAR.
Also featured on the site are some Facts about Governor Brownback's proposal and a News section with updates about what's happening with the proposal. In addition to the Fact page are "Fast Facts" about the proposal, its opponents, and its impact, which refresh in a side panel on each page of the site. These fast facts help parse out the complexities of the issue into smaller bits that are easier to read and digest.
Because the site is intended to apply pressure to Governor Brownback and his proposed state income tax reform, it features highlighted calls to action that take you to relevant pages on the site or link to other sites with further information. Integrated into the site are Convio's action tools to let visitors contact their elected officials and take action to support the campaign. A Contact button takes visitors to a tool to find their elected officials and write to them, while a Recruit button takes you to the site's Action Center, where visitors can spread word about the issue through social media, contact legislators, or write to their local paper about the issue.
The resulting site is straightforward and informative, leading visitors through a complex issue, educating them along the way, and then giving them the tools to take action against the Governor's proposed action.