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create controversies section, add Romney ties, move some things from history to intro.
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The '''Pioneer Institute''' (PI) is a conservative [[think tank]] that describes itself as "committed to individual freedom and responsibility, limited and accountable government, and the application of free market principles to state and local policy".<ref>Pioneer Institute, [http://www.pioneerinstitute.org/ Pioneer Institute], organizational website, accessed 2012</ref> It houses and runs the Center for School Reform,<ref>Pioneer Institute, [http://pioneerinstitute.org/pioneers-staff/ Staff], organizational website, accessed February 2013.</ref> the Shamie Center for Better Government,<ref>Pioneer Institute, [http://pioneerinstitute.org/tag/shamie-center-for-better-government/ Shamie Center for Better Government], organizational website, accessed February 2013.</ref> and the Center for Economic Opportunity.<ref>Pioneer Institute, [http://pioneerinstitute.org/center-for-economic-opportunity/ Center for Economic Opportunity], organizational website, accessed February 2013.</ref> It is known for having a staff that has served in various positions in the recent Republican Massachusetts governors’ administrations (Weld, Cellucci, Swift,<ref>Paul Dunphy and Mark Umi Perkings, Political Research Associates, ''[http://www.publiceye.org/libertarian/pioneer-institute/pi-summ.html The Pioneer Institute: Privatizing the Common Wealth]'', book published by research organization, July 2002.</ref> and Romney).<ref name="Globe2">Yvonne Abraham, [http://w3.nexis.com/new/docview/getDocForCuiReq?lni=4857-DSH0-00SX-Y1NT&csi=8110&oc=00240&perma=true Pioneer Group’s Voice Grows Stronger, Think Tank’s Influence Seen In Romney’s Plan] (sub. req'd.), ''Boston Globe'', March 17, 2003.</ref> ==Controversies== ===Ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council===
The Pioneer Institute is a state think tank member of the [[State Policy Network]], which is a private sector member of the [[American Legislative Exchange Council]] (ALEC).
{{about_ALEC}}
===Ties to Mitt Romney===
The following are known connections between the Pioneer Institute and 2012 U.S. presidential candidate [[Mitt Romney]]:
* Charles Chieppo, the institute’s current Senior Media Fellow and former director of the Pioneer Institute’s Shamie Center for Restructuring Government, was Romney’s Policy Director in the Executive Office of Administration and Finance.<ref name="Globe2"/>
* Jim Peyser, the institute’s Executive Director from 1993-2000, is a member of Romney’s 2012 campaign’s education policy advisory committee, was chairman of the Massachusetts Board of Education during Romney’s administration, and was an education advisor to Romney during his time as governor.<ref name="Globe2"/>
* Steve Poftak, the institute’s current Research Director, was head of the Executive Office of Administration and Finance in the Romney administration, where he oversaw the state budget.
* Charles Baker, former executive director of the Pioneer Institute, was a Romney advisor in 2003 and chaired his transition advisory committee on healthcare before he became governor. Baker would go on to be the Republican Party’s gubernatorial nominee in 2010.
* Kerry Healey, Romney’s Lieutenant Governor, is a current member of the Pioneer Institute’s Board of Directors.
* Peter Nessen simultaneously served on the Pioneer Institute’s Board of Directors and as the chief education advisor to Romney during his time as governor.
* Erin Blake, Pioneer Institute’s development director, worked on Romney’s 2008 presidential campaign.
* Mary Z. Connaughton, Pioneer Institute’s Director of Finance and Administration, was appointed by then-Governor Romney to the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority board of directors.
* Josh Archambault, current Director of Health Care Policy at the Pioneer Institute, was a senior legislative aide in the Massachusetts Governor’s Office during the Romney administration.
* Former District Court Judge Daniel B. Winslow, who served as then-Gov. Romney’s chief legal counsel, won the institute’s “Better Government” competition for proposals to reform the judiciary.
==Ties to the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity==
The Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research is listed as hosting [[Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity]] "investigative journalists." <ref>[http://www.sourcewatch.org/images/e/e4/Franklin_Center_Statehouse_News_Bureaus.jpg Statehouse News Bureaus], [http://www.sourcewatch.org Source Watch], accessed March 23, 2012 </ref> The Franklin Center funds reporters in over 40 states.<ref>The Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity. [http://www.franklincenterhq.org/2376/think-tank-journalism-the-future-of-investigative-reporting/ Think tank Journalism: The Future of Investigative Journalism]. Organizational website. Accessed August 19, 2011.</ref> Despite their non-partisan description, many of the websites funded by the Franklin Center have received criticism for their conservative bias.<ref>The Portland Press Herald. [http://www.pressherald.com/news/watchdog-website-puts-a-new-spin-on-politics_2010-10-02.html 'Watchdog' website puts a new spin on politics']. News website. Accessed August 19, 2011. </ref><ref>Truthout. [http://www.truth-out.org/koch-spider-web/1312231636 The Koch Spider Web]. News website. Accessed August 19, 2011. </ref> On it's website, the Franklin Center claims that it "provides 10 percent of all daily reporting from state capitals nationwide." <ref> Sara Jerving, [http://www.prwatch.org/news/2011/10/10971/franklin-center-right-wing-funds-state-news-source Franklin Center: Right-Wing Funds State News Source], [http://www.prwatch.org PR Watch], October 27, 2011 </ref>
===Funding===
The Franklin Center was launched by the Chicago-based [[Sam Adams Alliance]] (SAM),<ref>Sam Adams Alliance. [http://www.samadamsalliance.org/media/5148/sam_adams_alliance_media_kit.pdf Sam Adams Alliance Media Kit]. Organizational PDF. Accessed August 19, 2011.</ref> a 501(c)(3) devoted to pushing free-market ideals. SAM gets funding from the [[State Policy Network]],<ref>Media Matters Action Network. [http://mediamattersaction.org/transparency/organization/Sam_Adams_Alliance/funders Sam Adams Alliance]. Conservative Transparency. Accessed August 19, 2011.</ref> which is partially funded by The Claude R. Lambe Foundation.<ref>Media Matters Action Network. [http://mediamattersaction.org/transparency/organization/State_Policy_Network/funders State Policy Network]. Conservative Transparency. Accessed August 19, 2011.</ref> [[Charles Koch]], one of the billionaire brothers who co-own Koch Industries, sits on the board of this foundation.<ref>Media Matters Action Network. [http://mediamattersaction.org/transparency/organization/Claude_R_Lambe_Charitable_Foundation Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation]. Conservative Transparency. Accessed August 19, 2011.</ref> SAM also receives funding from the [[Rodney Fund]]. The Franklin Center also receives funding from the Wisconsin-based [[Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation]],<ref>The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. [http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/127259723.html Franklin Center boss wants apology from Democratic staffer]. News website. Accessed August 19, 2011.</ref> a conservative grant-making organization.<ref>The Bradley Foundation. [http://www.bradleyfdn.org/ The Bradley Foundation]. Organizational website. Accessed August 19, 2011.</ref>
According to the ''Boston Globe'', "the Shamie Foundation . . . is actually the forebear of the Pioneer Institute, which took over its registration number with the secretary of state's office and the attorney general's division of public charities. [Prominent Massachusetts Republican politician Raymond] Shamie is a contributor to Pioneer." Shamie was chair of the Massachusetts Republican Party when Pioneer was founded in 1988. The Institute spent the two years between its founding and the election of Massachusetts' first Republican governor in 16 years, [[William F. Weld]], "trash[ing] state programs," and the ''Globe'' called the organization "an agenda-setting forum for the administration" of then-Governor-elect Weld.<ref name="Globe"/>
==Personnel==