Powering States with Common Sense Solutions: Jonathan Williams on NewsTalkSTL
Jonathan Williams discusses federalism, tax reform, and energy independence as keys to revitalizing America’s economy and democracy.
While attending the American Legislative Exchange Council’s (ALEC) States and Nation Policy Summit (SNPS), Chief Economist and Executive Vice President of Policy Jonathan Williams shared key economic and legislative priorities for 2025 with NewsTalkSTL hosts Tim Jones and Chris Arps. Addressing a range of topics including tax reform to energy independence, Williams underscored the importance of free markets, federalism, and limited government.
“This has been a great week with about 1,000 of our closest free-market freedom fighters across the country coming into Washington,” Williams remarked.
Emphasizing federalism as a cornerstone of ALEC’s mission, Williams highlighted remarks from tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy during the summit. “What his overall remarks really hit home on,” Williams explained, “was the idea of how we get rid of waste, fraud, and abuse, and how we downsize government to its proper size as envisioned by the founders.”
Williams added, “The founders said the things that should be done federally should be very few and well-defined. Most decisions should be left to state and local governments, or even better, to individuals, synagogues, and families.”
With almost 1,000 legislators, stakeholders, and guests in attendance, SNPS also served as the launching point for ALEC’s 2025 Essential Policy Solutions. A collection of groundbreaking model polices, the publication is focused on three central themes: economic opportunity, education freedom, and energy independence.
“We’re seeing a huge amount of focus on the school choice and education freedom revolution sweeping the country,” Williams said. “Parents are fed up with bureaucracy and with people telling them they couldn’t be involved in their kids’ education.”
On energy policy, Williams criticized “anti-American policies” that undermine energy reliability and affordability. “We need to make America not just energy independent but energy dominant,” he declared. “When energy is produced here versus countries with no regard for clean air and water standards, it’s better for everyone.”
A staunch advocate for tax reform, Williams highlighted the success of low-tax states in attracting residents and businesses. “About 25 states in the last four years have cut their personal income tax rates,” he noted. “States like North Carolina, which has been one of the biggest tax-cutting states in the last decade, have gained hundreds of thousands of new residents. And guess what? They’re not just new residents; they’re new taxpayers.”
Conversely, high-tax states like California, New York, and Illinois are grappling with outmigration and budget deficits now that federal COVID-19 relief funds have dried up.
He also celebrated the success of ALEC’s model policy, such as measures to prevent rank-choice voting and ensure citizen-only voting. “In eight states, we had this on the ballot, and it passed overwhelmingly,” he said. “Sometimes we need to clarify what common sense looks like.”
Missouri’s legislators received special recognition during the summit, with Senator Ben Brown and Representative Ben Baker praised for their roles in advancing these reforms.
“There’s a lot of common sense coming from the Midwest,” Williams said. “If we had more Midwesterners running Washington, our country would be a whole lot better off.”
As ALEC gears up for another year, Williams expressed optimism about the future.
“The laboratories of democracy are alive and well,” he said. “Reducing taxes, empowering taxpayers, and limiting government spending will continue to be top priorities. That’s a good thing for America.”