The Beacon Hill Institute is a free-marketthink tank currently located in Medway, Massachusetts. It was founded in Boston in 1991 by businessman Ray Shamie. The institute conducts fiscally conservative research, independent or commissioned, and distributes it to interested citizens and policy makers through various print and electronic media, including its quarterly newsletter, BHI NewsLink; policy studies; BHI FaxSheets; policy forums; opinion editorials; radio and TV interviews; and its web site. The institute describes itself as "grounded in the principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility and free markets". The institute was previously affiliated with the Department of Economics at Suffolk University. However, the relationship was terminated, and the institute has been unaffiliated with any school or university since December 30, 2016.
Activities
BHI specializes in the development of economic and statistical models for policy analysis. These include STAMP and LAMP, computer generalized equilibrium models, that are frequently used in BHI analysis of state and local tax policy issues. The Beacon Hill Institute produced reports on the projected economic impact of proposed clean energy policies in Maine. The reports were cited by Maine GovernorPaul LePage, and criticized by some environmental advocacy groups. BHI reports opposing clean energy initiatives in Maine and in other states were funded indirectly by Berman and Company, a public relations and lobbying firm that conducts smear campaigns against environmental and labor activists. At least part of the Berman funding was funneled through a front group, the Economic Policy Institute.
Questions regarding institute work
Some of the Beacon Hill Institute fellows have been criticized for advocating discredited scientific views, and inaccurate economic modeling, and accused of participating in "pay for commentary" campaigns. Notably, members argued against imposing cigarette taxes and tax funded anti-smoking efforts, and deny the scientific credibility behind climate change theory. BHI submitted a grant proposal to the Searle Freedom Trust in 2013 to study climate regulations. According to the BHI proposal, "Success will take the form of media recognition, dissemination to stakeholders, and legislative activity that will pare back or repeal ." The executive director of the institute confirmed that the purpose of the Searle funded study was not to conduct a rigorous, intensive analyses, but rather to help roll back regional legislation to reduce carbon pollution. The institute regularly used student classwork in its studies. Suffolk University issued a statement saying BHI had not consulted its host university about the grant proposal and that it would not have authorized the grant proposal as conceived by BHI.
Relationship with Suffolk University
In December 2015, it was announced that the Beacon Hill Institute and Suffolk University would end their relationship at the end of 2016. BHI's director, director, David Tuerck, said it decided to cut ties with the university because Suffolk had "made its work impossible by denying research proposals and imposing fund-raising rules that limited from whom it could take money."
