Tax and Budget
Noted Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “Taxation is the price we pay for civilization.” But is it?
Economist Mark Skousen best framed the response to Holmes in his paper Persuasion versus Force, where he wrote: “Taxation is the price we pay for failing to build a civilized society. The higher the tax level, the greater the failure.”
Cascade analyses Oregon state and local tax policy with an eye toward enhancing individual liberty, personal responsibility and economic opportunity.
Featured Publications
- The Fallacy of a $3.5 Billion State Budget Deficit
- Fallout from Measures 66 and 67 that purport to tax “rich” Oregonians and corporations
- Business Taxation: A Loose Cannon On A Dark Night
- After raising taxes, Oregonians should reject moves to gut the Kicker law
- Kicker Envy
Creating the Zero-Tax State: Why Oregon should replace taxes with user fees - The “Perfect Logic” of Taxing Smokers
- The Unseen Costs of Ribbon-Cutting: Losses from Economic Development Programs
- Prosperity or Portland? Remove Portland’s Business Income Tax to improve the city’s economy (two-page commentary) (23-page full report)
Recent Publications
Terminate Illegitimate Government Programs…Before They Terminate Us
I recently heard that the Oregon legislature actually may kill a wasteful, non-productive, and from my perspective, illegitimate government program. I won’t tell you which ... read more
Press Release: Requiring a Prescription for Cold Medicine Has Not Reduced Meth Use in Oregon
Media Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Steve Buckstein Senior Policy Analyst Cascade Policy Institute Phone: (503) 242-0900 steven@cascadepolicy.org February 21, 2012 Requiring a Prescription for ... read more
Corrupted Capitalism and the Housing Crisis
To say that our public discourse today stands in need of some improvement is undoubtedly an understatement, but perhaps no area of our common life ... read more
Audio
Terminate Illegitimate Government Programs…Before They Terminate Us
I recently heard that the Oregon legislature actually may kill a wasteful, non-productive, and from my perspective, illegitimate government program. I won’t tell you which ... read more
SunShot Makes Solar Energy a Long Shot
President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2013 budget includes $310 million for an ongoing energy research program called SunShot. The goal of the program is to use ... read more
