Please join us for the monthly meeting of Eastside Republican Club on Tuesday, September 8, at 6:30 PM. We’ll meet at the Hilton Garden Inn, 16630 Redmond Way in Redmond. See the Location page for driving directions, a map, and parking information. Food is available from the Fork and Spoke restaurant in the hotel, which is open from 5-9PM for dinner; you can preview the menu on ZMenu. Please RSVP if you plan to attend!
Our special guest speakers for September 8 will be Dann Mean Smith of Project 42, who will address us on efforts to repeal the state income tax and upcoming Supreme Court races, and a speaker from the Teacher Freedom Alliance, who will tell us about their mission to help educators exercise their First Amendment rights and pursue excellence in the classroom free of ideological interference. We’ve also invited candidates and initiative sponsors to update us on their campaigns and how we can help.
Dann Mead Smith – Project 42
Dann was President and CEO of Washington Policy Center for 20 years before stepping down in fall 2021 to start his own firm, The Mead Smith Group. His main client is Project 42, a 501c4 advocacy, capacity building, nonprofit organization, that he co-founded in 2020 with the mission to change the course of Washington state to prioritize free markets, personal liberty and an individual’s right to prosper. Some of the nonprofit groups launched or supported by Project 42 include Citizen Action Defense Fund, Change Washington, Future 42, Full Court Press, League of Our Own Washington, The Center Square Washington, and Washington Policy Center.
As President of Washington Policy Center, Dann testified by invitation before dozens of legislative committees in Olympia and appeared on numerous radio and TV newscasts and programs around the state promoting the Center’s work. Dann is a member of Seattle Rotary #4 and the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s Washington Advisory Committee; serves as board chairman of Citizen Action Defense Fund, a public interest law group in our state; former board member of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, and founding board member of the Worker Rights Alliance.
He also served on the Advisory Group of the Washington State Tax Structure Study Committee and the Citizen Performance Audit Oversight Board after being appointed by Gov. Gregoire. Before becoming President of WPC, he worked for the Washington Institute for Policy Studies, was Vice President of the Washington Institute Foundation, and worked on two statewide campaigns (for a statewide ballot measure and a candidate for governor). He is a graduate of Western Washington University, lives with his wife in Seattle, and has two daughters.
Teacher Freedom Alliance
The Teacher Freedom Alliance provides educators with liability insurance, professional development opportunities, continuing education credit hours, and access to alternative curricula — all at no cost to teachers who choose to leave their unions. By championing teacher freedom, the Teacher Freedom Alliance seeks to protect educators’ First Amendment rights and ensure that parents — not bureaucrats or union bosses — remain at the center of education. We look forward to hearing from their representative and how we can support their work.
Join ERC!
If you haven’t already done so, you can support ERC and help cover operating expenses by become a member! Membership prices are $25 Basic, $50 Silver, $100 Gold, and $250 Platinum; Platinum members who own businesses are also considered Sponsors of ERC. You can join or renew your membership on the Join page.
