The Buckeye Institute
Encyclopedia
The Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservative research organization. Its stated mission is to promote individual liberty, economic freedom, personal responsibility and limited government in Ohio
.
. . In December 2009, former Columbus Mayor Greg Lashutka
was elected Chairman of the Board. Other Board members include former Federal Election Commission Chairman Bradley A. Smith
, former Ohio State School Board member Debbie Owens, Dan Peters, and Ron McMaster.
s and scholars responsible for conducting the group's research into various public policy debates, including health care, education and education funding, and economic development.
It is home to The 1851 Center for Constitutional Law, which provides legal support in cases that have a bearing on the institute's mission. It has taken on cases to represent voters who wanted to shut down ACORN
, a charitable organization whose meeting place was demolished by the City of Cincinnati without notice, and a couple whose organic food
cooperative
was raided by state and local agents.
The institute also launched the Center for Transparent and Accountable Government to promote open government
issues as a means to prevent the waste of government and taxpayer resources. The center's first two projects were the launch of OhioSunshine.org, a wiki
designed to monitor compliance with public records laws
, and the distribution of an openness pledge to candidates for elected office at all levels.. The institute also maintains OhioVotes.org, a database of the legislative activity of the Ohio General Assembly
.
approaches, lower taxes and reduced government involvement.
es and to criticize existing ones. Papers from the institute have called for the state to repeal its income tax
or make it less progressive
, and singled out estate taxes
, intangible property taxes, tobacco
taxes, and certain taxes on horse racing
as "dumb taxes." The institute has also called for the Ohio General Assembly
to reduce the rate of the state sales tax
and broaden its base.
The institute is also critical of much government spending. It has twice published "The Piglet Book," an account of government spending that it sees as wasteful and gave positive reviews of a proposed constitutional amendment that would have placed annual limits on the growth of tax revenue and government spending, similar to other states' Taxpayer Bills of Rights
.
The institute's legal center has also injected itself into a debate in Toledo
over the city's efforts to impose a uniform set of minimum facilities on schools, which the institute claims is a veiled attempt to limit the availability of charter schools in the city. The center sent a letter to the city opposing the proposed ordinance
and threatening to take legal action if the ordinance is approved.
The institute has often found itself at odds with teachers' unions
, who view it as "anti-union." The unions were critical of the institute when it posted a searchable database of salaries for teachers and administrators online, while omitting the same information for teachers at charter schools.
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
Leadership
Matt Mayer was appointed President of the Buckeye Institute in September 2009. In November 2011, Mayer announced that he was leaving his position at the Buckeye Institute to accept a position at the Heritage FoundationHeritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong...
. . In December 2009, former Columbus Mayor Greg Lashutka
Greg Lashutka
Gregory S. Lashutka is a lawyer, who served as the 51st mayor of Columbus, Ohio, from 1992 to 2000. He is an Eagle Scout and had earlier been an American football player.-College Athletics:...
was elected Chairman of the Board. Other Board members include former Federal Election Commission Chairman Bradley A. Smith
Bradley A. Smith
Bradley A. Smith is a professor at Capital University Law School, who was Commissioner, Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Federal Election Commission between 2000 and 2005 and is best known for his writing and activities opposing campaign finance regulation.-Academic career and influence:A...
, former Ohio State School Board member Debbie Owens, Dan Peters, and Ron McMaster.
Organizational structure
The Buckeye Institute has several research fellowResearch fellow
The title of research fellow is used to denote a research position at a university or similar institution, usually for academic staff or faculty members. A research fellow may act either as an independent investigator or under the supervision of a principal investigator...
s and scholars responsible for conducting the group's research into various public policy debates, including health care, education and education funding, and economic development.
It is home to The 1851 Center for Constitutional Law, which provides legal support in cases that have a bearing on the institute's mission. It has taken on cases to represent voters who wanted to shut down ACORN
Acorn
The acorn, or oak nut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives . It usually contains a single seed , enclosed in a tough, leathery shell, and borne in a cup-shaped cupule. Acorns vary from 1–6 cm long and 0.8–4 cm broad...
, a charitable organization whose meeting place was demolished by the City of Cincinnati without notice, and a couple whose organic food
Organic food
Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...
cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
was raided by state and local agents.
The institute also launched the Center for Transparent and Accountable Government to promote open government
Open government
Open government is the governing doctrine which holds that citizens have the right to access the documents and proceedings of the government to allow for effective public oversight. In its broadest construction it opposes reason of state and racist considerations, which have tended to legitimize...
issues as a means to prevent the waste of government and taxpayer resources. The center's first two projects were the launch of OhioSunshine.org, a wiki
Wiki
A wiki is a website that allows the creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a WYSIWYG text editor. Wikis are typically powered by wiki software and are often used collaboratively by multiple users. Examples include...
designed to monitor compliance with public records laws
Freedom of information legislation
Freedom of information legislation comprises laws that guarantee access to data held by the state. They establish a "right-to-know" legal process by which requests may be made for government-held information, to be received freely or at minimal cost, barring standard exceptions...
, and the distribution of an openness pledge to candidates for elected office at all levels.. The institute also maintains OhioVotes.org, a database of the legislative activity of the Ohio General Assembly
Ohio General Assembly
The Ohio General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. It consists of the 99-member Ohio House of Representatives and the 33-member Ohio Senate...
.
Issues
The bulk of the Buckeye Institute's research focuses on taxes and education, with additional studies addressing health care, technology and economic development. The institute's approaches to these topics feature a unifying theme that promotes market-basedMarket economy
A market economy is an economy in which the prices of goods and services are determined in a free price system. This is often contrasted with a state-directed or planned economy. Market economies can range from hypothetically pure laissez-faire variants to an assortment of real-world mixed...
approaches, lower taxes and reduced government involvement.
Taxes and government spending
Generally, the Buckeye Institute can be expected to oppose new or increased taxTax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
es and to criticize existing ones. Papers from the institute have called for the state to repeal its income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
or make it less progressive
Progressive tax
A progressive tax is a tax by which the tax rate increases as the taxable base amount increases. "Progressive" describes a distribution effect on income or expenditure, referring to the way the rate progresses from low to high, where the average tax rate is less than the marginal tax rate...
, and singled out estate taxes
Estate tax in the United States
The estate tax in the United States is a tax imposed on the transfer of the "taxable estate" of a deceased person, whether such property is transferred via a will, according to the state laws of intestacy or otherwise made as an incident of the death of the owner, such as a transfer of property...
, intangible property taxes, tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
taxes, and certain taxes on horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
as "dumb taxes." The institute has also called for the Ohio General Assembly
Ohio General Assembly
The Ohio General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. It consists of the 99-member Ohio House of Representatives and the 33-member Ohio Senate...
to reduce the rate of the state sales tax
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
and broaden its base.
The institute is also critical of much government spending. It has twice published "The Piglet Book," an account of government spending that it sees as wasteful and gave positive reviews of a proposed constitutional amendment that would have placed annual limits on the growth of tax revenue and government spending, similar to other states' Taxpayer Bills of Rights
Taxpayer Bill of Rights
The Taxpayer Bill of Rights is a concept advocated by conservative and free market libertarian groups, primarily in the United States, as a way of limiting the growth of government...
.
Education
The institute's Center for Education Excellence produces reports and research that promote a market-based approach to education, including vouchers and charter schools, and a resolution to the state's years-old education funding debate.The institute's legal center has also injected itself into a debate in Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
over the city's efforts to impose a uniform set of minimum facilities on schools, which the institute claims is a veiled attempt to limit the availability of charter schools in the city. The center sent a letter to the city opposing the proposed ordinance
Local ordinance
A local ordinance is a law usually found in a municipal code.-United States:In the United States, these laws are enforced locally in addition to state law and federal law.-Japan:...
and threatening to take legal action if the ordinance is approved.
The institute has often found itself at odds with teachers' unions
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
, who view it as "anti-union." The unions were critical of the institute when it posted a searchable database of salaries for teachers and administrators online, while omitting the same information for teachers at charter schools.