Illinois Policy [formerly: Illinois Policy Institute]

See also:

• Janus v. AFSCME

• Liberty Justice Center:

  The Liberty Justice Center (LJC), is a non-profit conservative "public-interest litigation center that fights to protect economic liberty, private property rights, free speech, and other fundamental rights in Illinois and beyond."

  Founded in 2012, "The Liberty Justice Center is a public interest law firm started by, and in close relationship with, the Illinois Policy Institute.". The two organizations share an office, and the Chairman of the Liberty Justice Center is John Tillman, who is also the CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute.

  The Liberty Justice Center is an associate member of the State Policy Network, a web of state pressure groups that denote themselves as "think tanks" and drive a right-wing agenda in statehouses nationwide.

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• According to  the State Policy Network, "the Liberty Justice Center is the litigation partner of the State Policy Network's affiliate, the Illinois Policy Institute."

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  Illinois Policy Institute house -- Springfield, Illinois.
  [Image source. Click image to open in new window.]

The Illinois Policy Institute (IPI) is a nonpartisan think tank with offices in Chicago and Springfield. Founded in 2002, the Illinois Policy Institute is active in the areas of education policy, pension policy, and state budget issues. IPI has been a critic of a number of Illinois' tax policies. According to NPR, IPI has "advocated for smaller government, lower taxes and decried the power of longtime House Speaker Michael Madigan." Its methods include publishing newspaper columns and editorial cartoons. The Illinois Policy Institute has an affiliated lobbying arm and legal arm. The Chicago Sun-Times described the group as "leading a crusade against government regulations, state spending and labor unions in Illinois."

IPI is a member of the State Policy Network, a consortium of free-market think tanks in the U.S.

History

Originally founded by Greg Blankenship, John Tillman relaunched the Illinois Policy Institute in 2007. The Illinois Policy Institute "steadily expanded its work and influence" after Tillman took over. IPI raised $341,000 in 2007 and $6.4 million in 2016. In 2018, the Chicago Sun-Times wrote that "Its studies and opinion pieces on cutting government spending and boosting transparency became must-read material to many Republicans, some Democrats — and the governor of Illinois."

Operations

IPI formerly operated the Illinois News Network, transferring ownership of that entity to the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity in January 2018. The group worked closely with former Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, a Republican and past donor to IPI, during the first several years of his gubernatorial tenure. However, Rauner's relationship with IPI deteriorated.

Following the Supreme Court ruling in Janus v. AFSCME,  plaintiff Mark Janus left his job with the state of Illinois to become a senior fellow at IPI, which had helped fund his case.

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