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Washington Policy Center

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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."[1] 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.

Daniel Mead Smith, President, represents WPC as the ALEC state co-chair of the state of Washington as of August 2011.[2]

Carl Gipson, director of WPC's Center for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, is a member of ALEC's Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force.[3]

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.[4] 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).[5]

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,[6] 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."[7] He also sponsored the "Resolution in Opposition to the EPA's 'Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule' and the Treatment of Biomass Energy."[8] 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.”[9] 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.[10]

Additionally, ALEC is an associate member of the State Policy Network (SPN), along with the WPC.[11]

About ALEC
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.

Personnel

Staff

As of April 2013:[12]

  • 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

Former Staff

As of 2009:[13]

Board of Directors

As of April 2013:[14]

  • 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

Board Emeritus:

  • 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:[14]

  • 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:[13]

Core Financials

2011[15]

  • Total Revenue: $1,513,481
  • Total Expenses: $1,860,653
  • Net Assets: $1,810,517

2010[16]:

  • Total Revenue: $1,500,932.00
  • Total Expenses: $1,889,632.00
  • Net Assets: $2,203,342.00

2009[17]:

  • Total Revenue: $1,149,317.00
  • Total Expenses: $1,661,953.00
  • Net Assets: $2,516,590.00

Contact Information

P.O. Box 3643
Seattle, WA 98124-3643
Website: http://www.washingtonpolicy.org
E-mail: wpc at washingtonpolicy.org

Seattle Office
3404 4th Ave S.
Seattle, WA 98134
Phone: 206-937-9691
Fax: 206-624-8038

Olympia Office
924 Capitol Way South, Suite 218
Olympia, WA 98501
Phone: 360-705-9068
Fax: 360-705-6543

Spokane Office
801 W. Riverside, Suite 100
Spokane, WA 99201
Phone: 509-570-2384

Tri-Cities Office
7130 W. Grandridge Blvd., Suite C
Kennewick, WA 99336
Phone: 509-570-2384

Articles and Resources

Related SourceWatch Articles

Related PRWatch Articles

External Resources

References

  1. ↑ Washington Policy Center, Washington Policy Center, organizational website, accessed 2009.
  2. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, "Solutions for the States," 38th Annual Meeting agenda, on file with CMD, August 3-6, 2011.
  3. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force meeting agenda and materials, July 18, 2011, on file with CMD.
  4. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force, meeting agenda and materials, April, 29, 2011, on file with CMD.
  5. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Public Safety and Elections Task Force, meeting agenda and materials, August 4, 2011, on file with CMD.
  6. ↑ Todd Myers Communications, Todd Myers, firm biography, accessed August 18, 2011.
  7. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force meeting agenda and materials, December 2, 2010, on file with CMD.
  8. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, organizational documents, on file with CMD.
  9. ↑ American Legislative Exchange Council, Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force meeting agenda and materials, October 27, 2011, on file with CMD.
  10. ↑ Todd Myers, Left-Wing Group Exposes Its Environmental Ignorance, National Center for Policy Analysis "Energy and Environment: Clearing the Air" blog, August 17, 2011.
  11. ↑ State Policy Network, Directory, organizational site, accessed August 11, 2011.
  12. ↑ Washington Policy Center, Staff, organizational website, accessed April 2013.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Washington Policy Center, Board of Directors, organizational website, accessed 2009.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Washington Policy Center, Board of Directors, organizational website, accessed April 2013.
  15. ↑ Washington Policy Center, 2011 IRS Form 990, organizational IRS filing, November 13, 2012.
  16. ↑ Washington Policy Center, IRS form 990, 2010. GuideStar.
  17. ↑ Washington Policy Center, IRS form 990, 2009. GuideStar.
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