I have a contractor work on a variety of small fixes when I bought my first and only rental units. Total cost was $1500. Do I need to issue a W2? What other tax information can anyone share.

Thanks

You will nee to 1099 him. 

Taken from http://www.irs.gov/uac/Form-1099-MISC,-Miscellaneo...

File this form for each person to whom you have paid during the year:

• at least $10 in royalties or broker payments in lieu of dividends or tax-exempt interest;
• at least $600 in rents, services (including parts and materials), prizes and awards, other income payments, medical and health care payments, crop insurance proceeds, cash payments for fish (or other aquatic life) you purchase from anyone engaged in the trade or business of catching fish, or, generally, the cash paid from a notional principal contract to an individual, partnership, or estate;
• any fishing boat proceeds,
• gross proceeds of $600, or more paid to an attorney during the year, or
• withheld any federal income tax under the backup withholding rules regardless of the amount of the payment.

Also, use this form to report that you made direct sales of at least $5,000 of consumer products to a buyer for resale anywhere other than a permanent retail establishment.