Contact: Chris Cargill
(509) 570-2384

Former New York Governor George Pataki will headline Washington Policy Center’s ‘Solutions Summit’

PASCO — More than a dozen public policy experts – including the former Governor of New York – will speak Wednesday at Washington Policy Center’s 2016 Solutions Summit policy conference at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick.

“Great policies start with great ideas, and we’re thrilled to have so many great thinkers joining us in Kennewick this year,” WPC Eastern Washington director Chris Cargill said.

The two-day, statewide conference held in the Tri-Cities (Wednesday) and Bellevue (Thursday) routinely attracts some of the nation’s top political and public policy thinkers.

Former Presidential Candidate and New York Governor George Pataki will cap Wednesday’s half-day portion of the conference, which begins at 7:30am. George Pataki served three terms as governor of New York, from 1995 through 2006. After the 9/11 attacks, he promoted the toughest anti-terrorism laws in the nation. He also combined pro-business policies with award-winning initiatives in environmental protection.

In addition to an opening breakfast featuring former Eastern Washington Congressman George Nethercutt and the keynote luncheon featuring Governor Pataki, attendees will hear from experts in six breakout sessions focused on various topics:

• How Education Savings Accounts can improve schools
• Should the state tax per-mile driving?
• Meaningful health care reform
• The Rebecca Friedrichs Story: How one teacher became a leader to end forced unionism
• How a state capital gains income tax would impact business & workers
• Energy & water: Current problems & future solutions

Speakers at the panel discussions include California teacher Rebecca Friedrichs, the plaintiff in Friedrichs vs. California Teachers Association, the forced unionization case recently argued before the U.S. Supreme Court.  Former Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna, Jonathan Butcher of the Goldwater Institute, Jared Walczak of theTax Foundation and Aubrey Bettencourt of California Water Alliance will also be featured at the breakout sessions.

Solutions Summit attendees can reserve their spot for the entire conference or just the lunch portion of the event by registering online at www.washingtonpolicy.org.

MEDIA AVISORY: WPC will hold a news conference and have press availability with Governor Pataki at 11:15am at the Three Rivers Convention Center. All media are encouraged to attend. All sessions of the Wednesday conference will also be open to media. RSVP to ccargill@washingtonpolicy.org.