The State Policy Network (SPN) is an umbrella group of right-wing think tanks across the country. The Illinois Policy Institute (IPI) is SPN’s cookie-cutter think tank in Illinois. While the Institute claims to be focused on issues important to

the people of Illinois, it actually pushes an agenda dictated by its national right-wing funders and partners.

IPI is an active member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a controversial right-wing organization in

which state lawmakers and corporate lobbyists come together to vote on “model” bills behind closed doors, with no public input, to be introduced in state houses across the country.

ALEC’s model legislation often benefits its corporate members’ bottom line.

IPI is, or has been, a member of several ALEC task forces,

including the Commerce, Insurance, and Economic Development Task Force, the Education Task Force, the Health and Human Services Task Force, and the Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force. On these task forces, IPI writes, votes on, and/or promotes legislation that would privatize public schools, block access to affordable healthcare, and lower taxes for its corporate partners. Yet, pushing ALEC’s

controversial agenda is just part of IPI’s support for ALEC. In 2013, when ALEC held its annual conference in Chicago, IPI was a Vice-Chairman level sponsor of the event, meaning it

contributed at least $25,000 to ALEC.

Defund and privatize Illinois public schools through vouchers, charter schools, and giving tax credits to corporations who contribute to a

voucher program Block access to affordable healthcare for

Illinois citizens

Oppose workers’ collective bargaining rights and push so-called “right to work” legislation in

opposition of workers forming a union

Oppose raising Illinois’ minimum wage Destroy public pensions by switching from a

defined benefit to a defined contribution plan Oppose renewable clean energy and repeal

pollution protections Enact ALEC-style spending caps that require a

supermajority of the General Assembly to fund essential public services

Oppose fairness in taxes by opposing

measures to make tax brackets based on income levels

Illinois Policy Institute: Policy Briefs Illinois Policy Institute: 2013 Legislative Agenda

Despite IPI’s nonprofit’s status, the institute has affiliated itself with the right-wing Illinois Liberty PAC. IPI CEO John Tillman chaired the PAC, and the two organizations originally shared the same address. In addition, according to state campaign

finance reports, the Illinois Policy Institute made two contributions to the Illinois Republican Party in May 2008, totaling $500, an apparent violation of its 501c3 nonprofit status. The institute is also known for wrongfully accusing

Democratic state Rep. Bob Rita of a felony and its extensive lobbying activity. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, IPI is limited in the

amount of lobbying activity it is allowed to participate in.

“[IPI] has always been extreme, and it has always been political…They all repackage the same tired right-wing talking points and try to resell them to unsuspecting reporters and citizens.” - Anders Lindall, AFSCME Council 31

“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.” - Dr. Kent Redfield, political science professor emeritus at the University of Illinois Springfield and an expert on campaign finance, on IPI’s political activities Read more: http://www.sj-r.com/schoenburg/x536834849/Bernard-Schoenburg-Illinois-Policy-Institutes-PAC-connection-draws-questions#ixzz2eW81COcS

While IPI is not required to disclose its funders to the public, and does not do so voluntarily, the identities of the few known funders are a sign that IPI may be beholden to out-of-state right-wing organizations, rather than the

people of Illinois. IPI has received nearly $2 million from the Koch-funded Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund. The two Donors organizations, which keep their donors anonymous to create another layer of secrecy, are known as the “dark money ATM of the conservative movement.” IRS records show that Donors funding represented at least 26% of IPI’s total revenue between 2008 and 2011. Other notable out-of-state IPI funders include the Roe

Foundation (of SPN founder Thomas Roe), the Wisconsin-based Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, the right-wing Cato Institute, and the Coors family’s Castle Rock Foundation (of Coors Brewing Company).

FUNDER BASED IN AMOUNT YEARS

Donors Trust/Donors Capital Fund Virginia $1,895,706 2005-2011

Mercer Family Foundation New York $350,000 2010-2011

Jaquelin Hume Foundation California $130,000 2007-2011

The Roe Foundation South Carolina $120,000 2004-2011

State Policy Network Virginia $117,500 2003-2011

JM Foundation New York $60,000 2010-2012

The Cato Institute Washington, DC $50,000 2006

The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation Wisconsin $20,000 2009-2010

Castle Rock Foundation Colorado $15,000 2010

The McWethy Foundation Illinois $13,000 2010-2011

Dunn’s Foundation for the Advancement of Right Thinking Florida $10,000 2011

[American Bridge Conservative Transparency; Donors Trust IRS 990s, 2008-2011; Donors Capital Fund IRS 990s, 2008-2011; the Cato Institute IRS 990, 2006; Illinois Policy Institute IRS 990s, 2008-2011]

With over $2.8 million in reported revenue over $400,000 in net assets in 2011, there is a reason why the Illinois Policy Institute is so well funded. When the institute has received grants from an out-of-state organization like the Bradley Foundation or the Donors groups, its subsequent activity has benefited the funding organization’s goals. Be it the Bradley Foundation’s constant push to privatize schools or the Donors groups and the Koch brothers’

campaign against climate change science, IPI’s activities largely benefit its corporate and special interest donors. From calling for lowering corporate taxes, advocacy against workers’ rights and the minimum wage, opposition to renewable energy sources, and work against a more fair progressive tax, IPI is in the hands of its special interest

funders and partners, not the people of Illinois.

“The Illinois Policy Institute continues to act less and less like a charitable tax-exempt foundation and more like an aggressive political committee.” [Chicago Now, 5/2013]

In June 2013, IPI was criticized for its ties between to a private digital education corporation and its push to privatize Illinois public schools with virtual charter schools. At the time, the Illinois legislature was considering HB 494, which put a one-year moratorium on virtual charter schools. IPI vigorously opposed the legislation, and even held a “digital learning symposium” shortly after the bill passed. Virtual Learning Solutions, the entity which was to govern the virtual charter school for 18 suburban school districts and control the more than $16 million in Illinois tax dollars had HB 494 not passed, is headed by IPI Vice President of Policy Ted Dabrowski. In addition, Eric Kohn, the husband of another IPI staffer, is the treasurer of the Virtual Learning Solutions. Nonetheless, IPI President John Tillman denied his staff had a “financial interest” in the Illinois Virtual Charter School plan.