Center for Government Reform at Washington Policy Center Opens With New Director Jason Mercier

Press Release
Jul 18, 2007

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Seattle - Washington Policy Center (WPC), Washington's premier public policy research and education organization, welcomes Jason Mercier to open the new Center for Government Reform.

The mission of the new Center for Government Reform is to partner with stakeholders and citizens to work toward a government focused on its core functions while improving its transparency, accountability, performance, and effectiveness for taxpayers. The Center's objectives include:

Using the power and principles of the free market to change and improve the culture of government;
Focusing government's spending and programs on its core functions;
Adopting structural budget reforms;
Ensuring taxpayer dollars are being spend efficiently and effectively to help mitigate the tax burden of citizens while improving service delivery;
Adopting government transparency reforms;
Ensuring government remains open and accountable to the citizens it serves.

"Improving access to accurate and meaningful information about our government is vital for elected officials and citizens to make informed decisions," says Center for Government Reform Director Jason Mercier. "The launching of this new Center is an opportunity to provide lawmakers and taxpayers with constructive policy recommendations to help make Washington one of the most transparent, accountable, and effective states in the nation."

Prior to joining Washington Policy Center, Jason Mercier served as Director of Evergreen Freedom Foundation's Economic Policy Center. He is a voting member on the American Legislative Exchange Council's Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force and is a contributing editor of the Heartland Institute's Budget & Tax News. Jason also serves on the board of the Washington Coalition for Open Government and was an advisor to the 2002 Washington State Tax Structure Committee. He received a B.A. in Political Science from Washington State University.

"Jason is a perfect addition to WPC and its research staff," said President Dann Mead Smith. "He and our new Center will bring WPC to a new level in budget, tax and government accountability research."

This is the sixth research launched by WPC and will join the currently running Center for Environmental Policy, Center for Health Care Reform, Center for Small Business & Entrepreneurship, Center for Transportation Policy and WashingtonVotes.org.

For more information on the new Center for Government Reform, including upcoming publications, contact Jason Mercier at jmercier@washingtonpolicy.org.