The Building Owners and Managers Association of St. Louis (BOMA) journeyed to Capitol Hill Tuesday, March 11 to personally educate their U.S. Senators and Representatives on behalf of commercial real estate. Executive Director Larry Weintraub and Vice President Tim Moeller from St. Louis joined fellow members from local BOMA associations across the United States to collectively express the need to extend the 15-year depreciation period for tenant improvements; enact important incentives to promote energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and explore the federal government's role in resolving the growing reinsurance capacity crisis that has resulted following the high number of devastating natural disasters over the past few years.

These members of BOMA St. Louis visited Washington, D.C., as participants in the 2008 National Issues Conference, hosted by BOMA International. The conference allowed property owners and managers to analyze and discuss issues, hear presentations by members of Congress and the press, and actively support their profession by visiting Congressional offices for one-on-one meetings with their elected officials.

The delegation of five BOMA members from Missouri was led by BOMA St. Louis Executive Diector Larry Weintraub. Over the course of the day, the delegation visited the offices of Sen. Kit Bond, Sen. Claire McCaskill, Rep. Lacy Clay, Rep. Russ Carnahan, Rep. Todd Akin and Rep. Jo Ann Emerson to inform their elected officials about real estate's concerns.

As stated by BOMA St. Louis President Jim Tainter, "Our visit to Capitol Hill is the best opportunity for BOMA St. Louis and real estate to speak out forcefully about the issues that are of greatest concern to our industry."

Founded in 1932, the Building Owners and Managers Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BOMA St. Louis) includes more than 400 members who own or manage more than 50 million square feet of downtown and suburban commercial properties and facilities. The mission of BOMA St. Louis is to represent and promote the interests of the commercial real estate industry through effective leadership, advocacy, exchange of information and professional development. For more information, visit the BOMA St. Louis web site at www.bomastl.org or visit the BOMA International web site at www.boma.org.