North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research: A Long Legacy
Candidates for elective office in 2008 desperately sought ways to distinguish themselves from their opponents, and one prominent tool that showed up in campaign advertising across the state is the “Effectiveness Ranking” for incumbent lawmakers produced each legislative session by the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Analysis.
Mission
According to the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Analysis (NCCPPR), it is “dedicated to the goals of a better-informed public and more effective, accountable, and responsive government.” Their statement describes how the organization’s attention is focused on identifying policy issues and enriching the dialogue of citizens, the media, and policymakers, but in political circles, NCCPPR is best known – and most notable – for its bi-annual effectiveness rankings for lawmakers and lobbyists. The Center maintains that it is independent from “partisan bias and political ideology.”
History
In 1977, Joel Fleishman, Bob Spearman, and Gerry Hancock, believing that most of the important issues in future decades would be decided at the state level, formed the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Analysis. Today, the organization claims to be one of only six remaining independent, state-level policy centers in the country.
In addition to its “Citizen’s Guide to the Legislature” and a journal publication, North Carolina Insight, NCCPPR issues occasional policy papers and “book length” studies on various topical issues affecting North Carolina. It is currently planning public policy analyses on the aging population, water policy, and mental health reform. But NCCPPR receives the greatest interest – and the most press – for its biennial rankings of effectiveness for both lobbyists and legislators. In the case of lobbyists, these gauges of influence can impact rates for client services. For lawmakers, the rankings are used to promote (or criticize) incumbents during campaigns.
The Center touts that their research has been used recently by specific groups and state leaders to promote the education of North Carolinians and to impact public policy in four primary areas of legislative accomplishment:
- Addressing domestic violence
- Relieving teacher shortages
- Reducing health disparities within differing races and genders
- Curbing of the misuse of state budget funds
Background
The North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research has been successful in recruiting board members representing both political parties, lending credibility to the organization’s claim of bi-partisanship. The Board of Directors is large, consisting of 23 members from both sides of the aisle, many of whom serve in a public service capacity. From a Republican Senator presiding over a coastal region of North Carolina, to Democratic members who donated to Hillary Clinton’s campaign, there is the appearance of wide ranging ideologies.
Areas of Focus
Expenditures reflected on the most recently available IRS Form 990 for the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research give an indication of the organization’s priorities. They include:
- Research Reports – For the fiscal year 2006, these included the Citizen’s Guide to the Legislature" as well as a report on the governance of higher education in North Carolina. [$269,420]
- North Carolina Insight – This journal is dedicated to revealing key highlights of issues facing North Carolina. As an example, a recent article discussed banning blank bills in the North Carolina legislature. The piece is equally critical of both parties, calling out Sen. Tony Rand, the Senate Majority Leader (and Rules Chair) for supporting blank bills as “part of the gamesmanship in the way legislation is created.” [$215,914]
- “From the Center Out” – A newsletter for members of NCCPPR which highlights follow-ups to previous reports and previews of upcoming studies. [$68,627]
In 2006, the Center received $538,192 in “direct public support” (including membership dues). This item, along with net gains from the sale of assets and other investments, totaled $741,014 in revenue for the reporting year. For the fiscal year 2006, the Center, a 501 C-3 non-profit organization, reported lobbying expenses of $5,401.
Potential Conflicts
The twenty-three member NCCPPR Board of Directors is populated with politically active members from both political parties, so campaign contributions are common.
Foundation Assets
NCCPPR had total assets of $2,034,606 for the fiscal year ended 2006.
Foundation Staff
Ran Coble currently serves as the longtime Executive Director of the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research, salaried at $142,735. There are five other remaining staff members.
Summary
Over the 31 years of its existence, the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research has been successful in making a name for itself in the public policy and political arenas, though that success has not come without controversy. While the Center states that “There are no sacred cows,” it often comes under fire for reporting views which are seen to be left-leaning – such as their recent argument against lifting the cap on charter schools. In addition, the effectiveness rankings which have gained the Center so much notoriety, demonstrate an innate flaw in that they, by nature of the ranking system, tend to favor the political party that is currently holding power in North Carolina. Rankings are determined by a tally of votes by lobbyists, the media, and the lawmakers themselves – and since the North Carolina General Assembly has established rules which are prohibitive of success by minority members of the body, they almost always end up with low scores. Campaign contributions and personal relationships can also come into play, leading some critics to say that the system presents a skewed picture of legislators' actual performance.
The lack of data publicly available on the NCCPPR website and the inaccessibility of most of the Center’s research reports and other publications, which are only available to the public at a charge, make it difficult to gain a full picture of the range and quality of the organization’s activities. But there can be no doubt that the Center has made a significant and lasting mark in North Carolina’s public policy debate.
Contact Information
The North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research
5 W. Hargett St. Suite 701, P.O. Box 430
Raleigh, NC 27602
Phone: 919/832-2839
Fax: 919/832-2847
www.nccppr.org
Updated October 30, 2008
