Illinois Policy Institute

The Illinois Policy Institute is a non-profit research organization that supports free-market and liberty-based public policies in the State of Illinois. Its website says that it is “a leading voice for economic liberty and government accountability,” and that it engages “policy makers, opinion leaders, and citizens on the state and local level.” [cite web| title = Illinois Policy Institute- About Us | publisher =Illinois Policy Institute | author = | date = | url = http://illinoispolicyinstitute.org/content/?section=456 | accessdate = 2008-04-23 ]

The Institute is often referred to as a conservative, free-market, or libertarian organization. According to the Institute’s website, it focuses “specifically on economic liberty and free market principles.” [cite web| title = Illinois Policy Institute- About Us | publisher =Illinois Policy Institute | author = | date = | url = http://illinoispolicyinstitute.org/content/?section=456 | accessdate = 2008-04-23 ]

Programs

The Illinois Policy Institute organizes its programs around a number of different policy centers. These include Budget & Taxes, Education, Health Care, and Transparency & Accountability. [cite web| title = Illinois Policy Institute- Policy Centers | publisher =Illinois Policy Institute | author = | date = | url = http://illinoispolicyinstitute.org/content/?section=470 | accessdate = 2008-04-23 ]

In 2008, the Institute released a report, entitled the Piglet Book, which was published with Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW). [cite web| title = Illinois Policy Institute- 2008 Illinois Piglet Book | publisher =Illinois Policy Institute | author = | date = | url = http://illinoispolicyinstitute.org/news/article.asp?ArticleSource=304| accessdate = 2008-04-23 ] At a time when the Illinois state government is $1.5 billion behind in its Medicaid payments, has $3.5 billion late payments due other IL government suppliers and creditors and has unfunded pension liabilities of over $100 billion, the 2008 Illinois Piglet Book identified $686 million in wasteful Illinois state spending, including $1 million for the Illinois film office in Chicago; $40,000 for the Springfield Figure Skating Club; $35,000 for the Prairie Aviation Museum for a display gallery in Bloomington, and; $156,000 to refurnish cabins at the Touch of Nature Environmental Center at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. [cite web| title = Groups: Budget full of ‘wasteful spending’| publisher =State Journal-Register | author = | date = | url = http://www.sj-r.com/News/stories/28394.asp| accessdate = 2008-04-23 ] A 2006 Piglet Book is also available on the Institute’s website. The Institute works with other Illinois-based and national organizations in the field of school choice, its latest collaboration being a poll conducted with the Friedman Foundation that found that 4 out of 5 Illinois parents would take advantage of a program such as school vouchers that would enable them to choose where to send their children to school. [cite web| title = Friedman Foundation- Research| publisher =Friedman Foundation | author = | date = | url = http://www.friedmanfoundation.org/friedman/research/ShowResearchItem.do?id=10086| accessdate = 2008-04-23 ] The Institute’s latest major policy focus has been in the area of government transparency, both on the statewide and local levels in Illinois. An Institute article reads: “Illinois needs to implement a full, comprehensive transparency program, requiring that state and all local governments receiving state funds open up their books in one easy-access website.” [cite web| title = Illinois Policy Institute– Working for Transparency in Illinois| publisher =Illinois Policy Institute | author = | date = | url = http://www.illinoispolicyinstitute.org/news/article.asp?ArticleSource=248 | accessdate = 2008-04-23 ] The group is also partnering with groups who are working for transparency in local school districts as well.

Publications

In addition to the yearly Piglet Book, the Institute publishes a bi-monthly e-newsletter and a quarterly print newsletter. Various staff members contribute to the Institute’s blog: Spontaneous Solutions. [cite web| title = Illinois Policy Institute- Spontaneous Solutions| publisher =Illinois Policy Institute | author = | date = | url = http://illinoispolicyinstitute.org/blog/| accessdate = 2008-04-23 ]

Funding

The Illinois Policy Institute is classified as a 501(c)(3) organization under U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Consistent with its tax-exempt status, the Institute focuses on educational outreach and policy work.

The Institute obtains all of its funding from private donors and foundations. It is not endowed and does not accept government funding. [cite web| title = Illinois Policy Institute - Donate | publisher =Illinois Policy Institute | author = | date = | url = http://illinoispolicyinstitute.org/content/?section=461 | accessdate = 2008-04-23 ]

Personnel

Greg Blankenship founded the Institute in Springfield in 2002 and serves as its president. John Tillman joined the Institute in 2007 as its Chairman and CEO, and opened its Chicago office shortly thereafter. Blankenship frequently writes op-eds for Illinois newspapers [cite web| title = Greg Blankenship: State leaders must shake ‘Groundhog Day’ mentality | publisher =State Journal-Register | author = | date = | url = http://www.sj-r.com/Opinion/stories/27468.asp | accessdate = 2008-04-23 ] , while Tillman frequently appears on television and radio shows, including Fox News Chicago and the Jerry Agar Show. [cite web| title = Piglet Book Makes Headlines Across the State | publisher =Illinois Policy Institute | author = | date = | url = http://illinoispolicyinstitute.org/news/article.asp?ArticleSource=317 | accessdate = 2008-04-23 ]

References

External links

* [http://www.illinoispolicyinstitute.org/ The Illinois Policy Institute’s website]