Nevada Policy Research Institute

The Nevada Policy Research Institute (NPRI) is a private non-profit, free-market and limited-government policy research organization based in Las Vegas, Nevada. NPRI seeks to promote private, rather than government solutions to issues facing Nevada and the western region of the United States.

Nevada Policy Research Institute
FocusNevada public policy
PresidentJohn Tsarpalas
ChairmanRanson Webster
BudgetRevenue: $818,995
Expenses: $959,664
(FYE December 2017)[1]
Address7130 Placid St.
Las Vegas, NV 89119
and
75 Caliente St.
Reno, NV 89509
Coordinates36.0599°N 115.1584°W / 36.0599; -115.1584
Websitenpri.org

History

In 1990, Judy Cresanta supported Soviet pro-democracy leaders, educating them in the principles of the free market economy and free elections. The next year, she founded the Nevada Policy Research Institute,[2] which addresses public problems through solutions that foster freedom and introducenew ways of problem solving in fields such as government spending, taxation, the restriction of union powers, federal ownership of state owned land, energy policy, and education policy.

Since 2013, the NPRI's "Solutions" publication for lawmakers has been published every two years. The NPRI supports lawmakers in an advisory capacity and through assessment of legislation. Their staff is often asked to give evidence before legislative committees. The national press relies on their advice and evaluations on breaking news and reports on their research, campaigns and litigation attempts. The Institute works towards increased transparency in government publishing records of government employee compensation and retirement data on TransparentNevada.com[3] and has successfully campaigned for public-sector workers and school district employees to make use of their opt-out rights of their union membership. This led to the inauguration of the National Employee Freedom Week,[4] establishing priority of workers' rights over the preferences of unions. The Institute forged an alliance with more than 100 national and state-based organizations, including the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, the Buckeye Institute, and The Heritage Foundation.[5]

Public policy research

NPRI researches education, tax and fiscal policy, and labor issues related to Nevada public policy.

Education

NPRI opposes efforts to halt the opening of new charter schools and favors expanding charter school options, tuition tax credits, school voucher programs, and merit pay for teachers.[6][7]

NPRI has been critical of the Nevada System of Higher Education, specifically the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the University of Nevada, Reno for low graduation rates, despite spending above average per full-time student on education and education related higher education expenditures.[8][9][10]

Tax and fiscal policy

NPRI supports a balanced budget with controlled growth in government spending, such as a TABOR's or TASC amendment. NPRI claims Nevada's 2008-2009 budget deficit was the result of excessive growth in government spending.[11]

NPRI has also argued that Nevada's history as a low-tax state has been slowly eroded by a growing number of fees on Nevada's residents.[12]

NPRI opposes tax hikes on individual taxpayers and corporations within Nevada, including a tax hike on the gaming industry.[13]

Labor issues

NPRI supports protecting secret ballot boxes and paycheck protection and opposes defined benefit plans for union and government workers.[14]

LVCVA

On November 30, 2008 the Las Vegas Review Journal published an article regarding some investigative journalism conducted by the Nevada Policy Research Institute on the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. According to NPRI's investigation it appears the LVCVA has an inappropriate relationship with a private marketing firm, R&R, that has overbilled the LVCVA but the LVCVA has never attempted to recoup these losses.[15]

Through public records request NPRI found that the LVCVA not only knew about these irregularities but literally gave R&R the rubber stamp to approve expenditures above $5,000 without any oversight from the LVCVA.[16]

According to NPRI vice president, "In the days following the release of this project, multiple private investigators visited the institute's offices requesting our financial statements and claiming to be working for "the other side." Some of our board members have been approached with broad hints about retaliation if the institute's look into convention authority financing proceeds."[17]

Assets

As of 2017 the Nevada Policy Research Institute had total assets of $580,617.[1]

Funding details

See also

References
  1. "Nevada Policy Research Institute" (PDF). Candid. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  2. "Mission Statement". State Policy Network. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  3. "Salaries and Pensions". Transparent Nevada. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  4. "Leaving Is Too Much Labor". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  5. "22 Nationally-Renowned Policy Groups Urge U.S. Supreme Court to Hear The Buckeye Institute's Case Reisman v. AFUM". The Buckeye Institute. 6 February 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  6. Richmond, Emily (20 February 2008). "Airing of charter tensions set". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  7. "Quality and Quantity" by Dr. Matthew Ladner, Nevada Policy Research Institute
  8. Gibbons, Patrick (18 February 2009). "A majority don't graduate UNLV or UNR within 6 years". Nevada Policy Research Institute. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  9. Gibbons, Patrick R. (18 February 2009). "Underperforming—not underfunded". Nevada Policy Research Institute. Archived from the original on 16 June 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  10. Gibbons, Patrick (3 March 2009). "NSHE needs to focus on graduating its students". Nevada Policy Research Institute. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  11. Gibbons, Patrick (17 July 2008). "It's the spending, stupid". Nevada Policy Research Institute. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  12. "Study shows how tax burden has increased". Las Vegas Review-Journal. 22 February 2008. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  13. Muth, Chuck (8 March 2008). "Nevada Tax Fight". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  14. "New approach needed on public pensions" by Doug French, Nevada Policy Research Institute
  15. "LVCVA, ad agency defend deal". Las Vegas Review-Journal. 30 November 2008. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  16. "NPRI's Transparency Project on the LVCVA". Nevada Policy Research Institute. 3 December 2008. Archived from the original on 2 June 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  17. "Authority trying to change subject" by Steven Miller, Las Vegas Review-Journal
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