Washington Policy Center

The Washington Policy Center (WPC) is a free market think tank based in the state of Washington.[4] The organization's stated mission is "to promote sound public policy based on free-market solutions."[1] It has a statewide staff of 23 and offices in Seattle, Olympia, Spokane, and Richland.[5][6] The organization is divided into eight research centers: Agriculture, Education, Environment, Government Reform, Health Care, Small Business, Transportation, and Worker Rights - with a research center director that leads research efforts in each area.

Washington Policy Center
MottoImproving lives through market solutions
MissionTo promote sound public policy based on free-market solutions[1]
ChairmanMark Pinkowski
PresidentDaniel Mead Smith
Staff23
Budget$4,400,000 (2019)[2]
Formerly calledWashington Institute Foundation[3]
Location
Seattle, Washington
Websitewww.washingtonpolicy.org

WPC operates a free public-service website, WashingtonVotes.org, which tracks what bills state legislators introduce and support.[7] WashingtonVotes.org provides a roll call service to state media outlets while the legislature is in session.[8][9]

Annual Dinner

Washington Policy Center is nationally-known for its Annual Dinner events, featuring some of the nation's top political leaders.

Each year, the organization hosts the events in Bellevue and Spokane and raises more than $1 million for its research efforts.[10]

Past speakers have included:

  • Dr. Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post and Fox News Commentator
  • Dr. Ben Carson, HUD Secretary
  • Betsy DeVos, Secretary of Education
  • Jim Mattis, Former Secretary of Defense
  • Joseph Lieberman, former Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee
  • Jeb Bush, Former Florida Governor
  • Mike Huckabee, Former Arkansas Governor
  • Chris Christie, Former New Jersey Governor
  • Scott Walker, Former Wisconsin Governor
  • Nikki Haley, Former South Carolina Governor and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
  • John Bolton, Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
  • J.C. Watts, Former Oklahoma Congressman
  • Robert Gates, Former Secretary of Defense

Research Centers

Washington Policy Center comprises seven research centers: Education, Environment, Government Reform, Health Care, Small Business, Transportation, and Agriculture. The research centers were funded and opened as part of a $4.1 million capital campaign.

Center for Education

WPC's Center for Education "conducts objective research and makes practical policy recommendations to improve Washington state's ability to carry out its paramount duty to educate every child within its borders." The center is a strong advocate for school choice and is a leading proponent of charter schools in Washington state.

In 2008, the center published Education Reform Plan: 8 Practical Ways to Improve Public Education in Washington State. The recommendations include:[11]

  • Put the principal in charge
  • Give parents choice among public schools
  • Let teachers teach
  • Double teacher pay
  • Replace the WASL with another standard
  • Create no-excuses schools
  • Transparency - put school budgets and teacher qualifications online
  • Make the Superintendent of Public Instruction an appointed office

Initiative on Agriculture

WPC's Initiative on Agriculture, its newest research arm, puts the knowledge and experience of those who work the land at the center of agriculture policy by using free-market incentives and local solutions. This new Initiative encourages policymakers to reduce the burden of excessive and unproductive regulation on family farmers and taxpayers.

Center for Environment

WPC's Center for the Environment - led by noted author and Wall Street Journal columnist Todd Myers - "brings balance to the environmental debate by promoting the idea that human progress and prosperity work in a free economy to protect the environment."

Myers has testified on environmental issues across North America. In 2019, he was invited by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation to testify in Ottawa on Washington state’s experience with carbon taxes. He has also briefed Congressional staff on environmental policy and in July 2019, Myers attended President Trump's press conference on environment efforts at the White House.

Meanwhile, his testimony to the Washington State Legislature exposed the high cost of the proposed low-carbon fuel standard bill.

On salmon recovery, Myers' and WPC have worked with regional leaders and tribal members to focus Washington’s recovery efforts on Puget Sound, where they are most effective, and not on the Snake River. Myers and WPC are opponents to removing the Snake River Dams, citing the dams' power production, high cost for removal and minimal benefits,

Center for Government Reform

WPC's Center for Government Reform's (budget and tax) mission is to "partner with stakeholders and citizens to work toward a government focused on its core functions while improving its transparency, accountability, performance, and effectiveness for taxpayers." One of the Northwest's leading budget experts, Jason Mercier, leads WPC's efforts in Government Reform.

In 2019, Spokane voters overwhelmingly adopted two WPC recommendations during the election. First, 77 percent of voters approved a ballot measure that requires public-sector unions to be transparent about the contracts they negotiate with government agencies. The same day, 72 percent of voters passed a ban against imposing a local income tax. Voters wanted to prevent the Spokane city council from doing what Seattle has done – impose its own income tax.

These popular measures received majority support in every precinct in the city. Several other Washington cities are now considering implementing similar reforms.

In addition, WPC sued the City of Seattle to release its secret analysis of the legality of local income taxes. Seattle agreed to settle the lawsuit and pay the organization's full attorney fees. The internal memo showed that Seattle councilmembers knew the income tax was illegal and voted to impose it anyway. As a result, The Seattle Times published a front-page story, “Seattle city attorney, in settling records suit, discloses memo advising council that income tax was illegal.”

At the state level, WPC has been strongly opposed to any effort to adopt an income tax. It has adopted a marketing campaign to educate lawmakers and the public about why a capital gains tax is an income tax, including publishing a response from the Internal Revenue Service.[12]

Center for Health Care

WPC's Center for Health Care is led by retired heart surgeon Dr. Roger Stark. The center develops "patient-centered solutions to reduce costs and improve the availability and quality of health care for businesses and individuals, providing the only detailed, independent critique of health care issues available in the Northwest."

Stark is the author of three books including The Patient-Centered Solution [13] and Healthcare in the United States today [14].

Center for Transportation

WPC's Center for Transportation "researches and analyzes the best practices for relieving traffic congestion by recapturing a vision of a system based on freedom of movement."

The center recently uncovered a major error in Sound Transit’s defense in a $500 million class action lawsuit filed by taxpayers regarding the unfair collection of car tab tax overcharges. The state Attorney General’s office acknowledged the error and declined to take Sound Transit’s side in the case, pulling out just one hour prior to a scheduled hearing before the State Supreme Court. [15]

WPC has also published numerous "Key Facts" publications showing the cost of transit systems across the state.[16]

Center for Small Business

WPC's Center for Small Business "focuses on improving Washington's small business climate by working closely with business owners and policymakers. The Center provides accurate information and analysis on the state's regulatory climate, tax structure, health insurance systems, and more."

In 2019, it held a news conference with Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers and State Senate Minority Leader Mark Schoesler to announce the publication a report with 10 recommendations for improving the small business climate in the state.[17] It also hired former state legislator Mark Harmsworth to lead its small business efforts.

Free Markets Destroy

In 2020, Washington Policy Center announced the launch of an effort called "Free Markets Destroy." The media and marketing campaign, in coordination with Emergent Order, a creative studio out of Austin, Texas, has the potential to reach 1.5 million of Washington state’s youngest citizens.

The effort is a first-of-its-kind campaign that focuses on creative destruction - the ability of the free market to destroy some of society's largest problems.

A 2019 Gallup poll showed Americans as a whole do not believe in Socialism, however over the past 10 years young adults’ overall impression of capitalism and free markets has steadily declined.[18]

The Free Markets Destroy campaign will initially focus on five key areas; Free Markets Destroy climate change, high rents, boredom, poverty and disease. Those interested in learning more can go to www.freemarketsdestroy.com.

See also

References
  1. "About Washington Policy Center". Washington Policy Center. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  2. https://www.washingtonpolicy.org/library/doclib/WPC-2019-Annual-Report-compressed.pdf
  3. "Washington Institute changes name". Puget Sound Business Journal. June 21, 2001. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  4. Lindblom, Mike (August 14, 2014). "Metro starts work on $1.50 fare card for low-income riders". Seattle Times. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  5. Parrish, Linn (February 12, 2015). "Chris Cargill: Furthering free market". Journal of Business. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  6. Micklethwait, John; Wooldridge, Adrian (2004). The Right Nation: Conservative Power in America. Penguin. p. 159. ISBN 9781594200205.
  7. Camden, Jim (January 11, 2015). "Television, Internet let you track Washington Legislature". Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  8. "How Your State Lawmakers Voted in Olympia". Nisqually Valley News. March 13, 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  9. "How they voted — March 10, 2015". The Daily Record. March 10, 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  10. https://www.washingtonpolicy.org/events/detail/2020-annual-dinner
  12. https://www.washingtonpolicy.org/publications/detail/irs-capital-gains-tax-is-an-income-tax
  13. https://www.amazon.com/Patient-centered-Solution-Health-Crisis-Happened/dp/1461090164
  14. https://www.amazon.com/Healthcare-United-States-Today-Solutions/dp/1419673815
  15. https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article234968662.html
  16. https://www.washingtonpolicy.org/publications/detail/key-facts-on-spokane-transit-authority
  17. https://www.washingtonpolicy.org/publications/detail/improving-the-small-business-climate-in-washington-state
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