Illinois Policy Institute

Illinois Policy Institute
Established 2002
Type Nonprofit 501(c)(3)
41-2057028
Focus Expanding free market principles in Illinois
Area served
 Illinois
CEO
 John Tillman[1]
Subsidiaries Liberty Justice Center[2]
Budget
 Revenue: $3,701,372
Expenses: $3,658,188
(FYE December 2012)[3]
Slogan Policy Changes Lives
Website www.illinoispolicyinstitute.org

The Illinois Policy Institute is a non-profit think tank based in Chicago, Illinois. The Institute has supported state spending cuts and opposed state tax increases, supported public pension reform, and advocated for school choice, including expanded charter schools in Illinois.

Organization overview

The Illinois Policy Institute was founded in 2002 and had 24 staff members in its Chicago office and five in its Springfield office as of 2013.[4][5] According to the Institute, the group "is an independent research and education organization generating public policy solutions aimed at promoting personal freedom and prosperity in Illinois."[6] Characterizations of the organization's ideology differ. The Institute has been described as "conservative" by Crain's Chicago Business;[7] "fiscally conservative" in the Chicago Tribune;[8] "libertarian" by the Chicago Tribune editorial board[9] and the Huffington Post;[10] "libertarian-leaning" in the New York Times;[11] "free-market" in the Wall Street Journal and by Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn;[12][13] "Tea Party-friendly" by former Chicago Sun-Times political columnist Rich Miller;[14] and as "nonpartisan" by Reuters,[15] the Baltimore Sun,[16] and the Daily Herald.[17]

Governed by a board of directors,[18] the Illinois Policy Institute is a 501(c)(3) public charity with an associated lobbying unit called the Illinois Policy Action, a 501(c)(4).[3][19] The Institute also has an affiliated public interest law firm named the Liberty Justice Center.[2][20] The Institute operates the Illinois News Network which employs writers to supply newspapers with articles free of charge.[21][22][23] John Tillman is the chief executive officer of the the Institute.[1][6]

The Illinois Policy Institute is a member of the State Policy Network.[24]

History

In 2011 and 2012, three political action committees were formed, called "Illinois Liberty," "Empowering Children," and "Fiscal Accountability," of which Illinois Policy Institute CEO Tillman was either treasurer or chairman. “John Tillman is acting in his capacity as a citizen who wants to participate in the electoral process, just as any citizen has a right to. That is completely independent of John’s role at the institute,” said an Institute spokesperson. Kent Redfield, a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois at Springfield and an expert on campaign finance, criticized the connection saying “When you’re up there delivering a report on Medicaid reimbursements, but you’re also backing candidates and soliciting campaign contributions for your PAC, people are going to wonder how you are balancing those sorts of things." By early 2012, Tillman had ended his relationship with the PACs, saying "I decided it wasn’t worth the trouble to continue to be involved.”[25][26]

In November, 2013, Capitol Fax, the Springfield, Illinois-based news service focused on Illinois government, and Progress Illinois, an online analysis and advocacy group, reported on coverage of the funding of the Illinois Policy Institute in a research project on the funding of the member organizations of the State Policy Network.[27][28]

Funding

According to The State Journal-Register, the Illinois Policy Institute does not disclose its donors.[25] Bruce Rauner, at the time chairman of the Chicago-based private equity firm GTCR, donated $525,000 to the Institute between 2008 and 2013.[29][21][30] The Institute is a grantee of the Donors Trust, a donor advised fund.[31][32]

Activities

The Illinois Policy Institute has been active in public policy areas including supporting state spending cuts and opposing state tax increases, supporting public pension reform, and advocating for school choice including expanding charter schools.[4][33][34] In 2010, then-Illinois State Senator James Meeks (D-Chicago) spoke at an Institute luncheon in support of his proposed legislation to offer school vouchers to 42,000 Chicago Public School students.[35] The bill advanced through the Illinois Senate, but did not pass the Illinois House.[4]

According to progressive blogger Lee Fang, Illinois Policy Institute staff members were among the originators of the tea party idea.[36] The Institute conducted a workshop on media relations at TeaCon Midwest 2011, a regional Tea Party convention held in Schaumburg, Illinois in October, 2011.[37] Institute CEO Tillman has been a featured speaker at tea party tax day protests.[4][38][39][40] The director of outreach of the Institute spoke on government transparency at an event sponsored by a tea party group in Orland Park, Illinois in 2012.[8] The Institute graded the transparency practices of various governmental bodies.[8][41] In 2010, the Institute established an annual Sunshine Award, which recognizes city governments that are judged by the Institute to be in the top 1% for government transparency.[42] The Institute supported legislation proposed by Illinois State Senators Martin Sandoval (D-Chicago) and Kirk Dillard (R-Westmont) to publish data on state grants to nonprofit groups in an online database of Illinois state spending.[43] The proposed legislation failed to pass.[44] In 2012, the Institute's Liberty Justice Center sued the city of Evanston, Illinois for not allowing food trucks to vend in the city.[20][45]

In July, 2013 Institute applied through the State Policy Network for funding from the Searle Freedom Trust for a campaign to work with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and state legislators to convert the City of Chicago's government employee pension system to a defined contribution plan system based on Institute draft legislation.[46]

In 2015, Illinois Policy Institute published a blog post which used U.S. Census data to show that in 2014, the state had the second largest net loss of people moving to other states in the nation,[47] and which concluded, "Fresh ideas in the governor’s office make reform more likely."[48] Elected Illinois Governor in 2014, Bruce Rauner hired three Institute staff members into his new administration.[49][50] The Institute's proposed budget for 2015 for the State of Illinois would have eliminated state funding for the Illinois Arts Council.[51]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hinz, Greg (June 25, 2014). "Tea party takes its revenge – on Illinois exporters". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Wells, Rachel (August 30, 2013). "City's rules for licensing vehicles-for-hire ruled unconstitutional". The Pantagraph. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Charity Rating". Charity Navigator. Also see "Quickview data". GuideStar.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Wells, Rachel (July 22, 2010). "Conservative think tank to Illinois: TURN RIGHT". Illinois Times. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  5. ↑ Schoenberg, Bernard (February 17, 2013). "Tillman, head of Illinois Policy Institute, pushes GOP strategy". The State Journal-Register (Springfield, Illinois). Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "About Us". Illinois Policy Institute. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  7. ↑ Merrion, Paul (May 10, 2014). "Why is Illinois unemployment so high?". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Sullivan, Dennis (November 6, 2012). "Orland Park, Tinley Park, Homer Glen get high grades for transparent government". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  9. ↑ "Dear Standard & Poor's". The Chicago Tribune. June 25, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Rahm Emanuel Defends $24 Million In School Upgrades, 'Modernization' Amid Pension Crisis". Huffington Post. September 18, 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  11. ↑ Peters, Jeremy (April 22, 2014). "Paul Takes His School-Choice Message to Chicago". New York Times. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  12. ↑ Zorn, Eric (June 26, 2013). "Should Illinois retire its state pensions?". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  13. ↑ McGurn, William (April 27, 2010). "In Post-Obama Illinois, Hope and Change". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  14. ↑ Miller, Rich (November 16, 2012). "Beware State GOP: Get Smart or Die". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 30.
  15. ↑ Pierog, Karen (November 10, 2012). "Illinois faces own fiscal cliff after big Democratic election win". Reuters. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  16. ↑ Summers, Christopher (August 21, 2012). "Is another federal bailout coming?". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  17. ↑ Lester, Kerry (June 6, 2011). "Harper's frugal, but is Ender? As tuition climbs, president spends". Arlington Heights, Illinois: Daily Herald. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  18. ↑ "Board of Directors". Illinois Policy Institute. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  19. ↑ Hinz, Greg (December 23, 2013). "Rauner gets a boost in GOP race but how big?". Crain’s Chicago Business. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Fisher, Alexandria (August 7, 2012). "Evanston Law Spurs Food Fight". NBC. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Schoenburg, Bernard (November 7, 2013). "Illinois Policy Institute got half million from Rauner". The State Journal-Register (Springfield, Illinois). Retrieved 2015-02-09.
  22. ↑ McKinney, Dave (February 20, 2014). "Illinois Policy Institute employee sues Madigan, Cullerton". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2015-02-09.
  23. ↑ Vock, Daniel C. (November 1, 2014). "How Political Donors Are Changing Statehouse News Reporting". McClatchy-Tribune Business News (Washington, DC).
  24. ↑ "Directory". State Policy Network. Retrieved 2015-02-09.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Schoenberg, Bernard (June 19, 2011). "Illinois Policy Institute's PAC connection draws questions". The State Journal-Register (Springfield, Illinois). Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  26. ↑ Schoenberg, Bernard (April 12, 2012). "Tillman’s ‘different hats’ can be confusing". The State Journal-Register (Springfield, Illinois). Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  27. ↑ Miller, Rich (November 19, 2013). "Charter fight goes deep". Capital Fax. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  28. ↑ Fortino, Ellyn (November 18, 2013). "New Report Sheds Some Light On The Illinois Policy Institute's 'Big-Money Funders'". Progress Illinois. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  29. ↑ O'Connor, John (September 30, 2014). "Rauner giving veers left and right". St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, Missouri: Associated Press). p. 2.
  30. ↑ Schoenberg, Bernard (November 29, 2014). "Rauner foundation gave out more than $3 million in 2013". The State Journal-Register (Springfield, Illinois). Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  31. ↑ Abowd, Paul (February 14, 2013). "Koch-funded charity passes money to free-market think tanks in states". NBC News. Center for Public Integrity. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  32. ↑ Ball, Whitney L. (2012-11-14). "IRS Form 990 Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax" (PDF). ProPublica. p. 80. Retrieved 2015-02-10.
  33. ↑ "Pension Reform and the Gubernatorial Race". WTTW. September 10, 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  34. ↑ Tillotson, Mary (November 6, 2013). "Study: Choice would help failing Chicago schools". watchdog.org. Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity. Retrieved 2015-02-08.
  35. ↑ McGurn, William (February 22, 2010). "Preaching Choice in Obama's Hometown". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  36. ↑ Fang, Lee (2013). The Machine: A Field Guide to the Resurgent Right. New York: The New Press. p. 35. ISBN 9781595586391.
  37. ↑ Lester, Kerry (October 1, 2011). "TeaCon leader says tea party eyes state races". Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois).
  38. ↑ Gilmer, Marcus (April 14, 2009). "Chicago Tea Party Rides Again". Chicagoist. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
  39. ↑ Tillman, John (April 15, 2010). We CAN turn this state around! Illinois Policy Institute at the 2010 Tax Day Tea Party. Chicago, Illinois: Illinois Policy Institute. Retrieved 2015-02-09.
  40. ↑ Zorn, Eric (April 16, 2010). "I'm listening to the tea partiers, but I'm sure not hearing much". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
  41. ↑ Manchir, Michelle (August 23, 2012). "Glen Ellyn officials pledge more transparency". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  42. ↑ DeVore, Sheryl (October 13, 2014). "Mundelein works hard for Sunshine Award". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  43. ↑ Cavers, Mark, Illinois Policy Institute. "Illinois taxpayers deserve transparency on government grants". State Integrity Blog (State Integrity Investigation). Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  44. ↑ "Illinois General Assembly – Bill Status for SB3773". Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved 2015-02-08.
  45. ↑ Cox, Brian (August 8, 2012). "Food truck owners sue for right to sell in Evanston". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  46. ↑ Pilkington, Ed; Goldenberg, Suzanne (December 5, 2013). "State conservative groups plan US-wide assault on education, health and tax". The Guardian (London). Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  47. ↑ Rust, Max (January 20, 2015). "Study: Latest migration numbers a bad sign for Illinois". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  48. ↑ Lucci, Michael (January 7, 2015). "Illinois had record mass exodus in 2014". Illinois Policy Institute. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  49. ↑ Miller, Rich (February 2, 2015). "Rauner hires three from Illinois Policy Institute". Capitol Fax. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
  50. ↑ Flannery, Mike (February 6, 2015). FOX 32 Sunday: John Tillman. Chicago, Illinois: Fox 32 Chicago News. Retrieved 2015-02-09.
  51. ↑ Dunn, Jamey (February 9, 2015). "State of the arts; The arts can change lives". Illinois Issues (Center Publications, Center for State Policy and Leadership, University of Illinois at Springfield). Retrieved 2015-02-09.

External links

Coordinates: 41°52′47″N 87°37′58″W / 41.8798°N 87.6327°W