California Policy Center

California Policy Center
Name	California Policy Center
Type	Think tank
Founded	2010
Headquarters	Sacramento, California
Leader title	President
Leader name	Mark Bucher

California Policy Center The California Policy Center is a public policy research organization based in Sacramento, California, active in state-level policy debates on fiscal, labor, and legal matters. Founded in 2010, the organization has engaged with lawmakers in the California State Legislature, interacted with labor unions such as the Service Employees International Union and the California Teachers Association, and participated in litigation touching the California Constitution and U.S. Constitution.

History

The organization was established in 2010 amid debates over Proposition 13 (1978), the Great Recession (2007–2009) recovery, and state budget disputes involving the California Governor's office and the Legislative Analyst's Office (California). Early activity included commentary on pension reform related to the California Public Employees' Retirement System and municipal decisions in cities such as San Francisco and Los Angeles. Its founders and early leadership engaged with national networks linked to the State Policy Network, collaborating with groups like the Heritage Foundation, the Reason Foundation, and the Cato Institute while addressing high-profile episodes involving the California Supreme Court and ballot measures such as Proposition 30 (2012).

Mission and Activities

The center promotes policies framed around fiscal restraint, regulatory reform, and changes to public-sector employment structures, interfacing with actors such as the California Chamber of Commerce, the National Right to Work Committee, and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. Activities include publishing white papers, filing amicus briefs in cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court, and advocating in forums involving the California Fair Political Practices Commission and local governments like the County of Orange. The organization hosts events featuring speakers from institutions including Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, Pepperdine University School of Law, and the Claremont Institute.

Research and Policy Positions

Research outputs have covered topics such as public-employee pension liability with analyses referencing CalPERS, CalSTRS, and municipal bond markets like the Municipal bond market. The center has published critiques of collective bargaining frameworks under California Government Code provisions and legal doctrines arising from decisions such as Janus v. AFSCME (2018), engaging with unions including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the AFL–CIO. On taxation, it has weighed in on measures including Proposition 13 (1978), Proposition 30 (2012), and the California Proposition 15 (2020), and on regulatory policy it has commented about agencies like the California Air Resources Board and the California Public Utilities Commission. The center's work has intersected with think tanks like the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute in debates over housing policy in locales such as San Jose and Sacramento.

Funding and Governance

Funding sources have included grants and donations from foundations and donors connected to networks such as the State Policy Network, philanthropic entities tied to families like the Gates family and organizations similar to the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, as well as contributions aligned with interests represented by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and corporate actors headquartered in Silicon Valley and Los Angeles County. Governance has involved a board with members drawn from law firms, business groups, and policy organizations, interfacing with institutions such as the Federal Election Commission and the California Secretary of State on disclosure and nonprofit compliance.

Controversies and Criticism

Critics have challenged the center's positions and funding transparency, citing disputes involving labor organizations such as the California Teachers Association and the Service Employees International Union, investigations by reporters at outlets including the Los Angeles Times and the San Francisco Chronicle, and debates in the California Legislature over bills affecting public employment. Opponents have pointed to litigation outcomes in venues like the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and public records requests directed to the California Secretary of State as focal points for scrutiny. Supporters counter by referencing ideological allies such as the Heritage Foundation and legal arguments advanced in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Impact and Influence

The organization has influenced policy discourse on pension reform in jurisdictions including Oakland, California, Long Beach, California, and Fresno, California; it has contributed amicus briefs to cases affecting labor law nationwide, shaping debate in venues ranging from the California Supreme Court to the U.S. Supreme Court. Its studies have been cited by legislators in the California State Assembly and California State Senate, municipal officials in cities like Irvine, California and San Diego, and commentators at media outlets including Fox News and NPR. The center's alliances with national networks such as the State Policy Network and collaborations with academic institutions have extended its reach into policy discussions on taxation, pension sustainability, and regulatory reform across the United States.

Category:Think tanks based in the United States