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==Policy research==
==Policy research==
The Freedom Foundation's efforts center on public policy research in the areas of state budget and [[tax policy]], [[education]], [[labor policy]], [[property rights]], legal policy, and citizenship and governance. Policy analysts for the Freedom Foundation have opposed minimum wage increases<ref>{{cite news|last1=Nelson|first1=Maxford|title=Raising Minimum Wage a Burden, not a Benefit|url=http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20140126/OPINION03/140129405/Raising-minimum-wage-a-burden-not-a-benefit|accessdate=5 February 2015|publisher=Herald Net|date=26 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Nelson|first1=Maxford|title=Why “$15 Now” Has Nothing to Do With Inflation, Productivity, or a Living Wage|url=http://www.seattlemet.com/articles/2014/4/15/why-15-now-has-nothing-to-do-with-inflation-productivity-or-a-living-wage-april-2014|accessdate=8 August 2015|publisher=Seattle Met|date=15 April 2014}}</ref> and mandatory paid sick leave.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Nelson|first1=Maxford|last2=Saltsman|first2=Michael|title=Paid sick leave a drag on business|url=http://www.ctpost.com/opinion/article/Paid-sick-leave-a-drag-on-business-5172805.php|accessdate=5 February 2015|publisher=Connecticut Post|date=January 24, 2014}}</ref> The organization was founded in 1991 by former Republican legislator and gubernatorial candidate Bob Williams who later became active in the leadership of the [[American Legislative Exchange Council]] (ALEC) as a member of the “Board of Scholars.”<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alec.org/about/leadership/ |title=ALEC Leadership | accessdate=13 December 2016}}</ref>
The Freedom Foundation's efforts center on public policy research in the areas of state budget and [[tax policy]], [[education]], [[labor policy]], [[property rights]], legal policy, and citizenship and governance. Policy analysts for the Freedom Foundation have opposed minimum wage increases<ref>{{cite news|last1=Nelson|first1=Maxford|title=Raising Minimum Wage a Burden, not a Benefit|url=http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20140126/OPINION03/140129405/Raising-minimum-wage-a-burden-not-a-benefit|accessdate=5 February 2015|publisher=Herald Net|date=26 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Nelson|first1=Maxford|title=Why “$15 Now” Has Nothing to Do With Inflation, Productivity, or a Living Wage|url=http://www.seattlemet.com/articles/2014/4/15/why-15-now-has-nothing-to-do-with-inflation-productivity-or-a-living-wage-april-2014|accessdate=8 August 2015|publisher=Seattle Met|date=15 April 2014}}</ref> and mandatory paid sick leave.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Nelson|first1=Maxford|last2=Saltsman|first2=Michael|title=Paid sick leave a drag on business|url=http://www.ctpost.com/opinion/article/Paid-sick-leave-a-drag-on-business-5172805.php|accessdate=5 February 2015|publisher=Connecticut Post|date=January 24, 2014}}</ref> The organization was founded in 1991 by former Republican legislator and gubernatorial candidate Bob Williams who later became active in the leadership of the [[American Legislative Exchange Council]] (ALEC) as a member of the “Board of Scholars.”<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alec.org/about/leadership/ |title=ALEC Leadership | accessdate=13 December 2016}}</ref>

==Funding==
The Freedom Foundation is registered with the United States [[Internal Revenue Service]] (IRS) as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, so contributions are tax deductible and there is no requirement for the foundation to disclose where their money is coming from. Research by various organizations opposing the Freedom Foundation has revealed some of their donors to include [[DonorsTrust]], [[State Policy Network]], [[Searle Freedom Trust]], Jacquelin Hume Foundation, [[Walton Family Foundation]], Friedman Foundation for Education Choice, [[Sarah Scaife Foundation]], [[Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation]], Roe Foundation, Foundation for Partnerships Trust, [[American Legislative Exchange Council]], and the Gilder Foundation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://freedomfoundationfacts.com/index.php/2016/01/24/who-funds-the-freedom-foundation/ |title=Who Funds the Freedom Foundation | accessdate= 13 December 2016}}</ref>

In December 2015, a coalition of community organizations in Washington and Oregon filed a complaint with the IRS calling for an immediate investigation and repeal of the Freedom Foundation’s 501(c)(3) status based on their allegations that the foundation was violating IRS rules which prohibit tax-exempt organizations from engaging in partisan political activity. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://nwaccountabilityproject.com/news/coalition-of-community-and-labor-groups-files-irs-complaint-against-freedom-foundation-for-blatant-violation-of-tax-exempt-charity-status/|title=Coalition of Community and Labor Groups Files IRS Complaint Against Freedom Foundation for Blatant Violation of Tax Exempt Charity Status | accessdate= 13 December 2016}}</ref>


==Activities==
==Activities==

Revision as of 21:18, 14 December 2016

Freedom Foundation
Formation1991
FounderBob Williams
TypePublic policy think tank
Location
LeaderTom McCabe
Budget
Revenue: $2,170,285
Expenses: $2,211,611
(FYE December 2014)[1]
Websitemyfreedomfoundation.com
Formerly called
Evergreen Freedom Foundation

The Freedom Foundation (formerly known as the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, EFF) is a state-based free market conservative think tank located in the state of Washington.[2][3] The organization, a member of the State Policy Network, has a stated mission "to advance individual liberty, free enterprise, and limited, accountable government."[4]

Policy research

The Freedom Foundation's efforts center on public policy research in the areas of state budget and tax policy, education, labor policy, property rights, legal policy, and citizenship and governance. Policy analysts for the Freedom Foundation have opposed minimum wage increases[5][6] and mandatory paid sick leave.[7] The organization was founded in 1991 by former Republican legislator and gubernatorial candidate Bob Williams who later became active in the leadership of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) as a member of the “Board of Scholars.”[8]

Activities

The organization advocates for the elimination of unions to remove what they perceive to be as an obstacle to their goals of privatizing education, replacing public employee pensions with 401(k) plans, replacing traditional public employee health plans with Health Savings Accounts, and creating smaller government by privatizing public services. Their CEO stated on April 23, 2014 that "conservatives want certain things – we want education reform and we want pension reform and we want less taxes and we want smaller government, and you’re never going to get those things with unions in the way.” [9] In their explanation of why they opposed raises for Washington State employees in 2014, the Freedom Foundation concluded by stating that, "The state and taxpayers would be better off competitively contracting (out) jobs that already exist within the private sector. Why should taxpayers take on the cost and liability of in-house graphic designers, IT personnel, electricians, carpenters, painters, mechanics, etc., rather than creating performance-based, competitive contracts that leverage the state’s position to get taxpayers a better deal?” [10]

The organization filed a complaint against the Washington Education Association (WEA), accusing the union of unlawfully spending worker fees on politics.[11] In response to that complaint, the state in turn sued the teachers union on the grounds that the WEA was unlawfully spending some workers' fees on politics. The matter was taken on appeal to the United States Supreme Court.[12] The Supreme Court decided that states can require public-employee labor unions to get consent from workers before using their fees for political activities.[11] The Washington State Legislature later modified the law in a way that blunted the court's decision.[11]

In 2007, the organization sponsored the "Take the Field with Glenn Beck" event at Seattle's Safeco Field. About 7,000 people attended.[13]

In March 2015, the Freedom Foundation filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of four family child-care providers who objected to paying union fees to SEIU 925.[14]

In November 2015, the Freedom Foundation's radio show caused a stir when a Washington State legislator made on the air anti-Islamic comments that disparaged refugees fleeing for their lives, and the staff host and legislator shared a laugh at a person’s Lebanese surname. In a follow up article in the Seattle Times, the staffer stated he laughed at a Lebanese surname because it sounded Middle Eastern and “possibly even Muslim.”[15]

In May 2016, a judge dismissed a lawsuit filed against the Freedom Foundation by Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s office, and dismissal of that case was appealed to the Washington Supreme Court. The lawsuit accused the Freedom Foundation of breaking state campaign-finance laws. Ferguson's office has also filed campaign-disclosure lawsuits against several unions in response to complaints from the Freedom Foundation. Two affiliates of the Service Employees International Union settled lawsuits by agreeing to pay civil penalties to the state over campaign-disclosure omissions.[16]

In October 2016, the office of the Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced that they filed a new complaint in Thurston County Superior Court alleging new campaign finance violations by the Freedom Foundation, including that the Freedom Foundation failed to properly and timely file independent expenditure reports disclosing money it spent to oppose statewide ballot measures.[17]

References

  1. ^ "Charity Rating". Charity Navigator. Also see "Quickview data". GuideStar.
  2. ^ Johnson, Gene (17 March 2014). "Two-term justice to retire early from state Supreme Court". KOMO News. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  3. ^ Tsong, Nicole (April 16, 2009). "Thousands in Puget Sound region protest government spending". Seattle Times. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  4. ^ "About". Freedom Foundation. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  5. ^ Nelson, Maxford (26 January 2014). "Raising Minimum Wage a Burden, not a Benefit". Herald Net. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  6. ^ Nelson, Maxford (15 April 2014). "Why "$15 Now" Has Nothing to Do With Inflation, Productivity, or a Living Wage". Seattle Met. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  7. ^ Nelson, Maxford; Saltsman, Michael (January 24, 2014). "Paid sick leave a drag on business". Connecticut Post. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  8. ^ "ALEC Leadership". Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  9. ^ "THE FREEDOM FOUNDATION: IN THEIR OWN WORDS". Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  10. ^ "Do State Employees Need a Raise?". Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  11. ^ a b c Garber, Andrew (15 June 2007). "Court rules against unions in fee case". Seattle Times. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  12. ^ Ralph Thomas (2007-01-09). "Union fight reaches high court". The Seattle Times. Seattle Times. Retrieved 2009-12-11.
  13. ^ "Beck Speaks to 7,000 at Seattle: 'The American people have not surrendered!'". Seattle Times. 2009-09-26. Retrieved 2011-04-05.
  14. ^ Brunner, Jim (5 March 2015). "Labor law challenged: Freedom Foundation sues SEIU 925". Seattle Times. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  15. ^ "Conservative podcast pulled after host laughs at Democrat's Middle Eastern name". Seattle Times. 2015-11-30. Retrieved 2016-12-13.
  16. ^ Brunner, Jim (13 May 2016). "Judge tosses state AG's lawsuit accusing Freedom Foundation of breaking campaign laws". Seattle Times. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  17. ^ "Freedom Foundation violating campaign-disclosure rules, state Attorney General's Office says". Seattle Times. 2016-10-28. Retrieved 2016-12-13.

External links

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