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SPN was founded in 1992 by [[Thomas A. Roe]], a [[South Carolina]] businessman who also served as a member of the board of trustees of the [[Heritage Foundation]] and had in 1986 founded the South Carolina Policy Council, now an SPN member group.<ref name=MotherJones20110425>{{cite news |first=Andy |last=Kroll |url=http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/04/state-policy-network-union-bargaining |title=The Right-Wing Network Behind the War on Unions |publisher=''[[Mother Jones (magazine)|Mother Jones]]'' |date=April 25, 2011 |accessdate=February 16, 2015}}</ref><ref name=AboutSPN>[http://www.spn.org/about/default.asp About SPN], State Policy Network website, accessed February 17, 2015</ref> Roe was concerned that the program of "[[New Federalism]]" fostered under U.S. President [[Ronald Reagan]] had transferred powers and resources to state-level [[bureaucrat]]s who "weren't necessarily better than" their federal government counterparts.{{cn|date=February 2015}} In conversation, Roe told Reagan that he thought each of the states needed something like the Heritage Foundation. Reagan's reply reportedly was "Do something about it," which led Roe to establish first the South Carolina Policy Council and later the State Policy Network.<ref name=AboutSPN /> The network was an outgrowth of the Madison Group, a collection of state-level think tanks in states including [[South Carolina]], [[Colorado]], [[Illinois]], and [[Michigan]] that had been meeting periodically at the [[Loews Madison Hotel|Madison Hotel]] in [[Washington, DC]].<ref name=SPNhistory>[http://www.spn.org/about/page/history SPN History] accessed February 17, 2015</ref> [[Lawrence W. Reed]], the first president of the [[Mackinac Center for Public Policy]], a [[free market]] [[think tank]] in [[Michigan]], fostered new state-level regular member organizations through delivery of his think tank training course.<ref name=NYTguru/>
SPN was founded in 1992 by [[Thomas A. Roe]], a [[South Carolina]] businessman who also served as a member of the board of trustees of the [[Heritage Foundation]] and had in 1986 founded the South Carolina Policy Council, now an SPN member group.<ref name=MotherJones20110425>{{cite news |first=Andy |last=Kroll |url=http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/04/state-policy-network-union-bargaining |title=The Right-Wing Network Behind the War on Unions |publisher=''[[Mother Jones (magazine)|Mother Jones]]'' |date=April 25, 2011 |accessdate=February 16, 2015}}</ref><ref name=AboutSPN>[http://www.spn.org/about/default.asp About SPN], State Policy Network website, accessed February 17, 2015</ref> Roe was concerned that the program of "[[New Federalism]]" fostered under U.S. President [[Ronald Reagan]] had transferred powers and resources to state-level [[bureaucrat]]s who "weren't necessarily better than" their federal government counterparts.{{cn|date=February 2015}} In conversation, Roe told Reagan that he thought each of the states needed something like the Heritage Foundation. Reagan's reply reportedly was "Do something about it," which led Roe to establish first the South Carolina Policy Council and later the State Policy Network.<ref name=AboutSPN /> The network was an outgrowth of the Madison Group, a collection of state-level think tanks in states including [[South Carolina]], [[Colorado]], [[Illinois]], and [[Michigan]] that had been meeting periodically at the [[Loews Madison Hotel|Madison Hotel]] in [[Washington, DC]].<ref name=SPNhistory>[http://www.spn.org/about/page/history SPN History] accessed February 17, 2015</ref> [[Lawrence W. Reed]], the first president of the [[Mackinac Center for Public Policy]], a [[free market]] [[think tank]] in [[Michigan]], fostered new state-level regular member organizations through delivery of his think tank training course.<ref name=NYTguru/>


In December, 2013, ''[[The Guardian]]'', the British national daily newspaper, published and analyzed 40 grant proposals from SPN regular member organizations in 34 US states, in collaboration with the ''[[Texas Observer]]'' in [[Austin]] and the ''[[Portland Press Herald]] in [[Maine]].<ref name=Guardian12052013/><ref name=upi/><ref>{{cite news |date=December 5, 2013 |title=Washington County residents have mixed reactions to plan to eliminate taxes |first=Colin |last=Woodard |accessdate=February 22, 2015 |url=http://www.pressherald.com/2013/12/05/mainers-in-washington-county-have-mixed-reactions-to-freeme-plan-to-eliminate-taxes/}}</ref>
In December, 2013, ''[[The Guardian]]'', the British national daily newspaper, published and analyzed 40 grant proposals from SPN regular member organizations in 34 US states, in collaboration with the ''[[Texas Observer]]'' in [[Austin]] and the ''[[Portland Press Herald]] in [[Maine]].<ref name=Guardian12052013/><ref name=upi/><ref>{{cite news |date=December 5, 2013 |title=Washington County residents have mixed reactions to plan to eliminate taxes |first=Colin |last=Woodard |accessdate=February 22, 2015 |url=http://www.pressherald.com/2013/12/05/mainers-in-washington-county-have-mixed-reactions-to-freeme-plan-to-eliminate-taxes/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The Money Behind the Fight to Undermine Medicaid |first=Forrest |last=Wilder |date=December 5, 2013 |accessdate=February 22, 2015 |url=http://www.texasobserver.org/money-behind-fight-undermine-medicaid/}}</ref>


==Policy positions==
==Policy positions==

Revision as of 01:26, 23 February 2015

State Policy Network
PredecessorMadison Group (1986–1992)
Formation1992
FounderThomas A. Roe, Byron Lamm
TypeNonprofit (501(c)(3)
57-0952531
PurposePromote public policy from a framework of limited government
Headquarters1655 N. Fort Myer Dr., S-360
Arlington, Virginia 22209
President
Tracie Sharp
Revenue (2013)
$7,543,244[1]
Websitespn.org

The State Policy Network (SPN) is a Virginia-registered nonprofit corporation which functions in part as an umbrella organization for a consortium of conservative and libertarian think tanks which focus on state-level policy.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Founded in 1992, SPN characterizes itself as the "professional service organization" for a network of state-level think tanks across the United States.[9] It is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, with member groups located in all fifty states.[10][11]

History

SPN was founded in 1992 by Thomas A. Roe, a South Carolina businessman who also served as a member of the board of trustees of the Heritage Foundation and had in 1986 founded the South Carolina Policy Council, now an SPN member group.[5][12] Roe was concerned that the program of "New Federalism" fostered under U.S. President Ronald Reagan had transferred powers and resources to state-level bureaucrats who "weren't necessarily better than" their federal government counterparts.[citation needed] In conversation, Roe told Reagan that he thought each of the states needed something like the Heritage Foundation. Reagan's reply reportedly was "Do something about it," which led Roe to establish first the South Carolina Policy Council and later the State Policy Network.[12] The network was an outgrowth of the Madison Group, a collection of state-level think tanks in states including South Carolina, Colorado, Illinois, and Michigan that had been meeting periodically at the Madison Hotel in Washington, DC.[13] Lawrence W. Reed, the first president of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, a free market think tank in Michigan, fostered new state-level regular member organizations through delivery of his think tank training course.[14]

In December, 2013, The Guardian, the British national daily newspaper, published and analyzed 40 grant proposals from SPN regular member organizations in 34 US states, in collaboration with the Texas Observer in Austin and the Portland Press Herald in Maine.[15][16][17][18]

Policy positions

Policy initiatives supported by SPN members have included reductions in state health and welfare programs, state constitutional amendments to limit state government spending, expanded access to charter schools, and school vouchers.[14] Another area of activism has been opposition to public-sector unions.[5] Tracie Sharp, SPN's president, has said the organization focuses on issues such as "workplace freedom, education reform, and individual choice in healthcare."[15]

In 2013, SPN was coordinating campaigns across 34 states, in what The Guardian called a "blueprint for the conservative agenda in 2014."[15] The campaigns included those designed to reduce public sector services in education, healthcare, and workers' compensation, eliminate income and sales taxes, and thwart efforts to combat greenhouse gas emissions.[15]

The liberal magazine Mother Jones stated that in 2011 SPN and its member organizations were backing a "war on organized labor" by Republican state lawmakers.[5] Legislative actions taken by the GOP included the introduction and enactment of bills reducing or eliminating collective bargaining for teachers and other government workers and reducing the authority of unions to collect dues from government employees.[5] In Iowa, Governor Terry Branstad cited research by SPN's Public Interest Institute when asking to amend laws to limit collective bargaining by public employees.[5]

Political influence

Supporters and detractors of SPN have described the network and its member groups as having had significant influence on the political process and legislative action in the states.[5]

In 1990, the Mackinac Center for Public Policy shared much of its "brain trust" with Republican governor John Engler's election campaign. After the election the Mackinac Center worked successfully with the Engler administration to effect policy changes in areas such as the promotion of charter schools and increasing competition in state contracting.

In 2006, three one-time presidents of SPN member groups were serving in the U.S. Congress, all elected as Republicans.[14] They included Jeff Flake (Goldwater Institute), Mike Pence (Indiana Policy Review Foundation), and Tom Tancredo (Independence Institute). National Review described them as having "used SPN organizations as political springboards."

Organization, finances, and activities

State Policy Network comprises 59 affiliated think-tank organizations, including at least one in every state.[5] In addition, other institutions, such as the Cato Institute and Heritage Foundation, are associate members.[2]

SPN files with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Its independently audited 2013 Form 990 shows $8.0 million in revenues and $8.4 million in expenditures, of which $1.3 million was used for grants and payments to other organizations.[10][19] The network received a Charity Navigator score of 89 out of 100 possible points for "accountability and transparency" in its most recent (December 2012) evaluation.[10] Tracie Sharp, SPN's president, said that SPN keeps its donors private, like most nonprofits.[2] Mother Jones reported that SPN is largely funded by donations from foundations, including the Lovett and Ruth Peters Foundation, the Castle Rock Foundation, and the Bradley Foundation.[5] A 2013 report by the Center for Media and Democracy, a liberal watchdog group, said that SPN received funding from a network of conservative entities, including the Koch brothers.[20][21] “We think State Policy Network is a worthy organization that is focussed on creating more opportunity for everyone, thereby making people’s lives better,” explained a spokesperson for Koch Companies Public Sector LLC.[22] SPN received $10 million from donor advised fund DonorsTrust between 2008 and 2013. The approximately $2 million from Donors Trust accounted for about 40% of SPN’s 2011 annual revenue.[6]

SPN provides grant funding to its member organizations for start-up costs and program operating expenses.[5][6][8][15][19] SPN also provides and practical support to its members, who meet each year at SPN conferences and are required to disseminate all of their publications to other member groups.[citation needed] SPN member organizations also exchange ideas and provide training and other support for each other.[14] SPN sponsors the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a non-profit political organization that facilitates members writing state-level model legislation in collaboration with other members.[2][6] A 2008 article in Nashville Scene quoted Peter Montgomery of the liberal organization People for the American Way saying that SPN conducts training for free-market think-tank organizations "to teach these people how to run these things like franchises."[23]

Member organizations

SPN reports that is has over 100 regular and associate member organizations. Membership is by invitation only and is limited to 501(c)(3) organizations that are "dedicated to advancing market-oriented public policy solutions".[24] In 2006, three former presidents of SPN regular member organizations were in the United States House of Representatives: Mike Pence of Indiana, Jeff Flake of Arizona, and Tom Tancredo of Colorado, and all were Republicans.[14] In 2011, SPN and its regular member organizations received combined total revenues of $83.2 million, according to a 2013 analysis of their federal tax filings by the liberal watchdog group, Center for Media and Democracy.[2][16][21]

Regular members

Regular members are described as "full-service think tanks" operating independently within their respective states.[24][25]

References

  1. ^ Organizational Profile – National Center for Charitable Statistics (Urban Institute)
  2. ^ a b c d e Kopan, Tal (November 13, 2013). "Report: Think tanks tied to Kochs". Politico.
  3. ^ Barnes, Fred (May 22, 2014). "A Conservative Candidate of Character, Conviction, Knowledge, and Leadership". The Weekly Standard.
  4. ^ Markon, Jerry (February 1, 2010). "New media help conservatives get their anti-Obama message out". Washington Post. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Kroll, Andy (April 25, 2011). "The Right-Wing Network Behind the War on Unions". Mother Jones. Retrieved February 16, 2015. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  6. ^ a b c d Abowd, Paul (February 14, 2013). "Donors use charity to push free-market policies in states; Nonprofit group lets donors fly 'totally under the radar'". Center for Public Integrity. Retrieved 2015-02-10.
  7. ^ Dagan, David; Teles, Steven (November–December 2012). "The Conservative War on Prisons". Washington Monthly. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  8. ^ a b Keller, Amy (October 7, 2013). "Florida's Think Tanks - Newcomers". Florida Trend. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
  9. ^ Matthew Medvetz, Thomas (2007). Think Tanks and Production of Policy-knowledge in America. University of California, Berkeley. p. 168. ISBN 978-0549529002. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  10. ^ a b c State Policy Network, Charity Navigator website, accessed February 17, 2015
  11. ^ Marley, Patrick; Stein, Jason (2013). More Than They Bargained For: Scott Walker, Unions, and the Fight for Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin Press. p. 37. ISBN 0299293831. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  12. ^ a b About SPN, State Policy Network website, accessed February 17, 2015
  13. ^ SPN History accessed February 17, 2015
  14. ^ a b c d e Jason Deparle, Right-of-Center Guru Goes Wide With the Gospel of Small Government, New York Times, November 17, 2006
  15. ^ a b c d e Pilkington, Ed; Goldenberg, Suzanne (December 5, 2013). "State conservative groups plan US-wide assault on education, health and tax". The Guardian. London. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  16. ^ a b "State conservative groups plan public sector assault". United Press International. December 6, 2013. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
  17. ^ Woodard, Colin (December 5, 2013). "Washington County residents have mixed reactions to plan to eliminate taxes". Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  18. ^ Wilder, Forrest (December 5, 2013). "The Money Behind the Fight to Undermine Medicaid". Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  19. ^ a b "2013 Form 990 State Policy Network" (PDF). Retrieved 2015-02-17.
  20. ^ Lopez, Ashley (November 14, 2013). "Koch Brothers Use 'Front Groups' To Influence Policy In Florida, Report Claims". Florida Center for Investigative Reporting.
  21. ^ a b Wilce, Rebekah (November 13, 2013). "EXPOSED: The State Policy Network: The Powerful Right-Wing Network Helping to Hijack State Politics and Government" (PDF). Center for Media and Democracy.
  22. ^ Mayer, Jane (2013-11-14). "Is IKEA the New Model for the Conservative Movement?". The New Yorker. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  23. ^ Jeff Woods, The Great Gadfly: How a baby-faced kid became the governor's No. 1 nemesis, Nashville Scene, September 11, 2008
  24. ^ a b SPN Membership Information, State Policy Network website, accessed May 27, 2011
  25. ^ Directory accessed February 8, 2015

38°53′37″N 77°04′18″W / 38.8937°N 77.0716°W / 38.8937; -77.0716

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