Washington Policy Center
Learn more about how the State Policy Network aids ALEC and spins disinformation in the states.
Learn more about corporations VOTING to rewrite our laws.
The Washington Policy Center is, in its own words, "a nonpartisan, free-market, state-based think tank in Seattle, Washington, that publishes studies, sponsors events and conferences, and educates citizens on public policy issues facing Washington state." The Washington Policy Center is a member of the State Policy Network (SPN).
Ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council
The Washington Policy Center (WPC) is a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) as of 2011.
Carl Gipson, director of WPC's Center for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, is a member of ALEC's Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force.
Jason Mercier, the Director of WPC's Center for Government Reform, is a member of ALEC's Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force. He sponsored the "Legislative Transparency Act" at ALEC's 2011 Spring Task Force Summit. Mercier has also participated in the Public Safety and Elections Task Force, which was disbanded in April 2012. At the 2011 annual meeting, he gave a presentation titled “Principles of Legislative Transparency” with Representative Jerry Madden (TX).
Todd Myers, Environmental Director of WPC and a public relations specialist who represented the Seattle SuperSonics during the 1997 NBA lockouts, with his own PR firm, represents WPC on ALEC's Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force. At the 2010 States and Nation Policy Summit, Myers gave a presentation entitled "A Fresh Start on the Environment: Good Science and Good Policy for New Majorities." He also sponsored the "Resolution in Opposition to the EPA's 'Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule' and the Treatment of Biomass Energy." In 2011, Myers gave another presentation at ALEC's States and Nation Policy Summit: “Eco-Fads: How the Rise of Trendy Environmentalism is Harming the Environment.” Myers also wrote a blog post for the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) criticizing the Center for Media and Democracy's "ALEC Exposed" project in August 2011.
ALEC is a corporate bill mill. It is not just a lobby or a front group; it is much more powerful than that. Through ALEC, corporations hand state legislators their wishlists to benefit their bottom line. Corporations fund almost all of ALEC's operations. They pay for a seat on ALEC task forces where corporate lobbyists and special interest reps vote with elected officials to approve “model” bills. Learn more at the Center for Media and Democracy's ALECexposed.org, and check out breaking news on our PRWatch.org site.
As of April 2013:
- Daniel Mead Smith, President
- Paul Guppy, Vice President for Research
- Braden Goodwin, Operations Manager
- Stephanie True, Development Director
- Dan Sytman, Communications & Marketing Director
- Chris Cargill, Eastern Washington Office Director
- Liv Finne, Director, Center for Education
- Jason Mercier, Director, Center for Government Reform
- Todd Myers, Director -- Center for Environmental Policy
- Erin Shannon, Director, Center for Small Business
- Roger Stark, Health Care Policy Analyst
- Tyler Nebeker, Communications Coordinator & Publications Manager
- Sydney Jansen, Development Coordinator
- Katie Bulger, Event Coordinator
As of 2009:
- Carl Gipson, Director -- Center for Small Business and Entrepreneurship
- Mike Ennis, Director, Center for Transportation Policy & WashingtonVotes.org
- Lyndsey Hartje, Communication Coordinator
- Anna Carroll, Development Assistant
Board of Directors
As of April 2013:
- Greg Porter, Chairman, Berntson Porter & Company, Bellevue
- Craig Williamson, Vice Chairman, MM Comfort Systems, Redmond
- Richard Alvord, Treasurer, Seattle
- Roger Bowlin, Secretary, R.W. Bowlin Investment Solutions, Chelan
- Dave Barber, Bartell-Barber Family Investments LLC
- Jim Coles, Western Peterbilt, Inc., Seattle
- William Conner, Conner Development, Bellevue
- John Connors, Ignition Partners, Bellevue
- Kathy Connors, Bellevue
- Jim Day, Gig Harbor
- Hon. Kemper Freeman, Jr., Kemper Development, Bellevue
- John J. Hennessy, NCM, Snoqualmie
- Anne Kelley, Associate General Counsel, Microsoft Corporation
- Matt McIlwain, Madrona Venture Group
- Daniel Mead Smith, President
- Hon. George R. Nethercutt Jr., Lundquist, Nethercutt & Griles, Spokane
- Hon. Mary Odermat, Brown Bear Car Wash, Medina
- John Otter, CBC Partners, Bellevue
- Ken D. Peterson, Jr., Columbia Ventures Corp., Vancouver
- Sarah Rindlaub, Past Chairman, Mercer Island
- Al Symington, Seattle
- Randy Talbot, Talbot Financial, Bellevue
- Robert Tippett, Tippett Company, Pasco
- Janet True, Seattle
- Roberta Weymouth, Silver Cloud Inns & Hotels, Bellevue
- Robert L. Wiley III, Bellevue
- Len Zarelli, Merit Company, Lakewood
- Bill Baldwin, Baldwin Resource Group, Inc., Redmond
- Hon. Emilio Cantu, Former Washington State Senator, Bellevue
- Richard Derham, Seattle
- Barbara Kenney, Bellevue
- David Maryatt, Seattle
- John "Scotty" McEachern, Seattle
- Ed McMillan, Silverdale
- Amb. Della Newman, former Amb. to New Zealand, Bow
- Hon. William Polk, William Polk Associates, Seattle
Eastern Washington Advisory Board
As of April 2013:
- Brenda Alford, Alford Farms, Inc. – Pasco
- Steve Appel, Washington State Farm Bureau – Endicott
- John Bennett, President, NAI Black – Spokane
- Roger Bowlin, R.W. Bowlin Investment Solutions – Lake Chelan
- Bob Brody, King Orchards – Wenatchee
- Michael Cannon, Owner, Elements Therapeutic Massage – Spokane
- Diane Cornwell, People’s Bank – Wenatchee
- Anne Cowles – Spokane
- Shaun Cross, CEO Lee & Hayes – Spokane
- Jon Devaney, Executive Director, Yakima Valley Growers-Shippers Association - Yakima
- Craig Dias, Haskins Steel – Spokane
- Pat Dix, Dix Corporation – Spokane
- Bill Farris, Richland
- Randy Gold, Gold Construction – Wenatchee
- Paul Gray, Gray’s Electric – Wenatchee
- Rich Hadley, President and CEO, Greater Spokane Incorporated – Spokane
- Ralph Hamm III, Wells Fargo Bank – Spokane
- Colin Hastings, Executive Director, Pasco Chamber of Commerce – Pasco
- Robert Jankelson, Tsillan Cellars – Chelan
- Patrick Kirby, Kirby Law Offices – Spokane
- Kees C. Koster, Preferred Realty Inc. – Pasco
- Larry L. Lambeth, President, Employment Screening Services, Inc. – Spokane
- William Lampson, Lampson International – Kennewick
- Jordana LaPorte, LaPorte Financial Alliance - Chelan
- Jeff Losey, Executive Director, Homebuilders of the Tri-Cities – Kennewick
- Mike Maehl, Opus 111 Group – Spokane
- Lori Mattson, President, Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce – Kennewick
- Stuart McDougall, McDougall and Sons Fruit – Wenatchee
- Dr. Blake McKinley – Spokane Valley
- Heidi Myers, Vice President, Banner Bank - Wenatchee
- Hon. George Nethercutt – Spokane
- Craig Phillips, CEO, American Behavioral Health Systems – Spokane
- Mike & Barbara Poulson, WA Agricultural Legal Foundation – Connell
- Janet Schmidlkofer, K&N Electric – Spokane
- Melanie Schmitt, Tri-Cities Journal of Business – Kennewick
- Chris Senske, Senske Lawn & Tree Care – Kennewick
- Jeff Severs, Northwestern Mutual – Spokane
- Eldonna Shaw, Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce – Spokane Valley
- Damien Sinnott, Walla Walla Chamber of Commerce – Walla Walla
- Bruce Smith, Publisher, Yakima Valley Business Times – Yakima
- Mark Sonderen, Sonderen Packaging – Spokane
- David Stambaugh – Cle Elum
- Heidi Stanley, Empire Bolt – Spokane
- Peter Stanton, Washington Trust Bank – Spokane
- Robert Tippett, Tippett Company – Pasco
- Judi Williams, TELECT – Liberty Lake
- Wayne Williams, TELECT – Liberty Lake
Research Advisory Board
As of 2009:
- John Castiglia, Premera Blue Cross
- Paul Maffeo, Retired, Merrill Lynch, City of Seattle Investment Board
- Mathew Manweller, Central Washington University
- William Maurer, J.D., Institute for Justice
- John Sands, Ph.D., Western Washington University
- Roger Stark, M.D., Overlake Hospital
- Andrew Tadie, Ph.D., Seattle University
- Total Revenue: $1,513,481
- Total Expenses: $1,860,653
- Net Assets: $1,810,517
- Total Revenue: $1,500,932.00
- Total Expenses: $1,889,632.00
- Net Assets: $2,203,342.00
- Total Revenue: $1,149,317.00
- Total Expenses: $1,661,953.00
- Net Assets: $2,516,590.00
P.O. Box 3643
Seattle, WA 98124-3643
E-mail: wpc at washingtonpolicy.org
3404 4th Ave S.
Seattle, WA 98134
924 Capitol Way South, Suite 218
Olympia, WA 98501
801 W. Riverside, Suite 100
Spokane, WA 99201
7130 W. Grandridge Blvd., Suite C
Kennewick, WA 99336
Articles and Resources
Related SourceWatch Articles
- State Policy Network:
- American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)
- Donors Capital Fund
- Koch Family Foundations
- Koch Industries
- Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity
- Heritage Foundation
- Think tanks
- Whitney Ball
- Adam Meyerson
- Bridgett Wagner
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- Brendan Fischer, Koch-Funded Mackinac Center Brings Wisconsin Act 10 Provisions to ALEC, PRWatch.org, May 2, 2012.
- Sara Jerving, Franklin Center: Right-Wing Funds State News Source, PRWatch.org, October 31, 2011.
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- The Guardian, State conservative groups plan US-wide assault on education, health and tax, December 5, 2013.
- Portland Press Herald, "Washington County residents have mixed reactions to plan to eliminate taxes," December 5, 2013.
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- Media Matters, North Carolina Newspapers Largely Ignore Conservative Funding Of Sham Think Tanks, December 3, 2013.
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- The Guardian, Facebook and Microsoft help fund rightwing lobby network, report finds, November 14, 2013.
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- Center for Media and Democracy, EXPOSED: The State Policy Network, The Powerful Right-Wing Network Helping to Hijack State Politics and Government, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
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- Maine's Majority Education Fund, Fooling Maine: How national conservative groups infiltrated Maine politics by founding and funding the Maine Heritage Policy Center, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
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- Alliance for a Better Minnesota, Who's in Charge: How Nationalized Corporate-Run Think Tanks Influence Minnesota Politics, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
- Progress Missouri, What Missourians Need to Know About the Show-Me Institute, organizational report, updated November 13, 2013.
- Granite State Progress, Bad Bartlett: The Josiah Bartlett Center and NH Watchdog Answer the Call of the Koch Brothers, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
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- Keystone Progress, Think tanks or corporate lobbyist propaganda mills?, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
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- One Wisconsin Now, S is for Shill: Inside the Bradley Foundation's Attack on Public Education, organizational report, November 13, 2013.
- Muncie Voice, Pence and Right-Wing Are Taking Over Public Education, November 13, 2013.
- The Spokesman-Review, Shawn Vestal: Idaho Freedom Foundation pushes limits of word ‘charity’, November 2, 2013.
- AZ Central, When this ‘watchdog’ pitches, taxpayers strike out, October 12, 2013.
- IndyStar, Daniels says speech to partisan group was a mistake, October 10, 2013.
- Muncie Voice, Indiana Policy Review: Not an Independent News Source, October 2, 2013.
- The Spokesman-Review, Idaho Freedom Foundation's charitable status scrutinized, September 15, 2013.
- CounterSpin, Lee Fang on 'The Right Leans In', April 5, 2013.
- FireDogLake, State Policy Network, an umbrella coordinating ALEC, Heritage, Heartland and others, April 4, 2013.
- Thom Hartmann with Lee Fang on MSNBC, The conservative State Policy Network is sneaking into your state & will change America, March 29, 2013.
- Current TV "War Room", Lee Fang discussing the State Policy Network, March 28, 2013.
- The Nation, The Right Leans In, March 26, 2013.
- Democracy Now, Donors Trust: Little-Known Group Helps Wealthy Backers Fund Right-Wing Agenda in Secret, February 19, 2013.
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- John R. Mashey, Fake science, fakexperts, funny finances, free of tax 2, DeSmog Blog report, updated October 23, 2012, p. 74.
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