Straight out of Texas: The Policy Circle and state priorities at the SPN’s annual meeting

By The Policy Circle Team

September 2, 2017

The Policy Circle team was in San Antonio, Texas, this week for the State Policy Network’s 25th annual meeting. While we were not near the wreckage of the storm, meeting attendees were very aware of the crisis just to the east and south along Texas’ Gulf Coast. We saw evacuees staying in the meeting hotel, heard about gas shortages already arising in the area, and participated in donation drives to provide food, water and relief for those affected.

We were also pleased to sponsor SPN’s 5K for Freedom race with this year’s theme being Mind of my Own.

Peggy Noonan was the keynote speaker so attendees were treated to a preview of her Saturday column.

SPN is a network of the state and national policy organizations who develop and promote policies that advance freedom. Many of you have heard about and collaborate with these groups, which include Reclaim NY, The Empire Center, Texas Public Policy Center, Illinois Policy Institute, Show Me Institute, Buckeye Institute, Yankee Center, MacIver Institute, Platte Institute, California Policy Center, AEI and Heritage Foundation.

The Policy Circle team was on the ground, connecting with these policy organizations, attending sessions on the latest policy developments and sharing the growth story of The Policy Circle.

We asked several policy organizations what their top state concerns were, and while some common themes emerged — taxes, education, economic growth, healthcare — many noted unique concerns. Here’s a sample of what they shared:

Alaska:

Medicaid costs
Economy
Energy taxation
Education spending
Transparency and education reform

Connecticut:

Local government control
Public sector employees
Regulation reforms
State spending

Delaware:

Lack of Fortune 1000 companies headquartered there
Wage contraction
Academic achievement

Hawaii:

Jones Act (which limits who is able to access the ports)
Economy growth

Kansas:

School choice and low academic achievement
Tax reform

Kentucky:

Public sector pension reform
Right to work
School choice
Tax reform

Michigan:

Retiree liabilities (state & local)
Taxes (income tax cut)
Criminal Justice (re-entry programs, civil asset forfeiture)

New York:

Property taxes
Economy and job opportunities
Problems with out-migration

North Carolina:

Healthcare
Energy policy
Keeping school choice

Nebraska:

Tax policy
Regulatory reform

Oklahoma:

Taxes
State spending
Criminal justice reform
Education spending

West Virginia:

Lack of economic opportunity
Drug issue (opioids, heroin)
Widespread health issues

Do these priorities reflect what you are hearing in your state? Please comment below!

See more updates on The Policy Circle’s activity at SPN on twitter and facebook.

We’ll post more in coming weeks about this great organization and how it brings together great minds to share ideas and resources, network with other organizations and overall advance the cause of freedom, free markets and free minds, ideas uniquely preserved and promoted by the United States’ Constitution and treasured by its people.

As Peggy Noonan said this past week: “We are a great nation. We forget. But what happened in Texas reminded us. It said: My beloved America you’re not a mirage, you’re still here.”