Contact: Lisa Shin
206-937-9691
lshin@washingtonpolicy.org
SEATTLE — At its largest Annual Dinner to date, Washington Policy Center (WPC) will honor Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin with WPC’s 2013 Columbia Award before more than 2,000 attendees in Seattle and Spokane on Thursday, September 5.
Governor Walker’s tough stand on taxes has resulted in a $625 million dollar budget surplus providing $650 million in individual income tax relief and nearly $1 billion in tax relief overall for families and businesses. This is the largest income tax cut that Wisconsin has seen in 14 years. He has also increased the school voucher program allowing students from lower and middle-income families to attend private schools. Wisconsin has seen a growing economy, increased workforce, improving education as a result of Governor Walker’s leadership.
It is because of his principled commitment to the people of his state and his tireless efforts to promote education reform, fiscal stability and government reform despite great odds and for his courageous leadership, that WPC will honor Gov. Walker with our 2013 Columbia award.
Dr. Ben Carson will receive the WPC’s Champion of Freedom Award on the same evening. Dr. Carson was the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008 and has been honored nationally for his pediatric neurosurgery work. He is also the president and co-founder of the Carson Scholars Fund which has awarded more than $5.7 million dollars to more than 5,700 scholars. WPC will honor Dr. Carson for his humanitarian work as a champion of freedom, equality and justice; for his pioneering work as a doctor; and for his courage in speaking out in support of transparent and ethical leadership.
Washington Policy Center is a nonpartisan, independent, research organization that promotes good policy ideas that serve the public interest at the state level and seeks to learn from the experiences of governors from other states. Past dinner speakers include current and former governors from Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana and Oklahoma.