Employers Are Left With the Bill After Lockdowns
By Vlad Yurlov When businesses fail, they shut down. But when the government…
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Portland Has Highest Income Taxes in the U.S.: Are We Getting Our Money’s Worth?
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. This year, Oregon passed a major milestone. In 2020,…
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Where Can the Homeless Go? Portland Still Doesn’t Know
Shelter space can be used effectively by tracking and reporting vacancies By Vlad…
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Oregon ratepayers need relief. Ending the Public Purpose Charge can help.
By Rachel Dawson As government-imposed shutdowns continue, more Oregonians are struggling to pay…
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Who Will Pay the Bills When the Pandemic Ends?
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. This week, the U.K. became the first western nation…
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Cascade Quarterly Winter 2020
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TriMet’s Zombie Light Rail Project
By John A. Charles, Jr. President Trump is not the only one refusing…
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Oregon Legislators should throw restaurants and bars a lifeline by legalizing “cocktails to-go”
By Rachel Dawson Do you want to enjoy a drink but don’t feel…
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Comments on the Elliott State Research Forest proposal
John A. Charles, Jr.President & CEOCascade Policy InstituteNovember 29, 2020 Below is a…
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Electricity Ratepayers Need Tax Relief Now
December 3, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contacts:John A. Charles, Jr.Office: (503) 242-0900Mobile:…
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Oregon’s “Public Purpose” Energy Tax: Mission Accomplished, or Mission Creep?
By John A Charles, Jr. and Rachel Dawson EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Oregon Public…
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Government Should Pay the Price for Locking Down Our Economy
By Vlad Yurlov Oregon’s government is finally feeling the pain of lockdowns. Last…
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Shopping in a Shutdown: How to Support Local Businesses
By Helen Doran The Oregonian reported that an estimated 51,000 more Oregonians are…
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Oregon Is Stopping Hospital Construction for Your Own Good
Eliminating Oregon’s Certificate of Need laws would significantly improve health care By Vlad…
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Wind turbines are not a bird’s best friend. Black paint may be able to help.
By Rachel Dawson The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service estimates up to 500,000…
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Winter Is Coming, the Homeless Need Shelter, and the Expo Center Has the Space
By Eric Fruits. Ph.D. Winter is coming to Oregon, and it might be…
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Oregon’s New Drug Law Contains a Lethal Dose of Unaccountability
Voters approve Measure 110, decriminalizing drugs while creating an unaccountable bureaucracy By Eric…
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Oregon should be supporting restaurants and bars, not freezing them out.
By Rachel Dawson Governor Kate Brown recently decided to take her Coronavirus “two-week…
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What is Going On? Cases Rise and Oregon Schools Open
By Helen Doran “What is going on?” That’s what many Oregon parents are…
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Dude, where’s my car? New Oregon data shows where electric vehicles are located and where they continue to remain a rarity
By Rachel Dawson Where are all the electric cars in Oregon? If you…
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Avoidable Expenses for Affordable Housing
By Vlad Yurlov While many people in the Portland region value efficient governments,…
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It’s Creepy Season: Metro’s Haunted Lands
By Helen Doran Did you know that more than three-fourths of Metro’s park…
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$7 Billion for That?
Metro’s Transportation Tax Will Overspend on Underused Projects By Rachel Dawson and Vlad…
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The Boardman Coal Plant Closed. Now What?
By Rachel Dawson On Thursday, October 15, Portland General Electric pulled the plug…
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Cascade Policy Institute Responds to the Early Closure of the Boardman Coal Plant
October 19, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Rachel Dawson (503) 242-0900 rachel@cascadepolicy.org…
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Poll Shows Support for Parents to Use State Education Funding for School Choice
By Kathryn Hickok A RealClear Opinion poll released at the end of September…
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Press Release: METRO GOVERNMENT’S INAPPROPRIATE USE OF TAX DOLLARS TO PROMOTE NEW PAYROLL TAX TO VOTERS
Cascade Policy Institute urges Metro Auditor and the Oregon Secretary of State to…
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Government Alone Can’t Solve Homelessness
By Vlad Yurlov On October 2, Helping Hands unveiled its latest transitional housing…
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Press Release: Eric Fruits, Vice President of Research at Cascade Policy Institute, urges Metro Council to reject Ordinance 20-1449
October 4, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Eric Fruits, Ph.D. (503) 242-0900…
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I was homeschooled. Here is why I support school choice.
By Helen Doran Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, many parents now find themselves…
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Metro: Deep in Debt and Getting Deeper
The regional government plans to borrow money to implement its new income taxes…
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Oregon’s NuScale is one step further to providing states with clean, reliable energy
By Rachel Dawson Oregon’s very own NuScale Power, a company developing small-modular nuclear…
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Achieving Equity: Oregon Students Deserve a Money-Back Guarantee
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. On September 21, 2020, Oregon’s Senate heard policy proposals…
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Low-Income Oregonians Need Wheels, Not Another Light Rail Line
By Rachel Dawson Want to help a low-income individual prosper economically? Give them…
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Emancipate the Students
By John A. Charles, Jr. The state legislature is seeking policy proposals for…
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Cascade Quarterly Fall 2020
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Metro’s Mission Creep
By Vlad Yurlov Metro is expected to spend over $1.4 billion this fiscal…
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Pinocchio Politics on the November Ballot
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. President Trump is frequently accused of lying. But he…
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California Blackouts Show the Need for Reliable Hydropower
By Rachel Dawson Recent blackouts in California have demonstrated the need for reliable…
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Metro Pushes Transportation Bond While Acknowledging Serious Problems
Oregon’s Business Community Is Challenging the $7.8 Billion Measure By Vlad Yurlov After…
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California blackouts serve as a warning to Oregon officials
By Rachel Dawson California’s recent blackouts should serve as a warning to officials…
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The nuclear waste reality that popular media loves to ignore
By Rachel Dawson Did you ever watch the Simpsons and think nuclear waste…
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Oregon Students Deserve Stability
By Helen Doran Oregon guidelines for the 2020 fall semester have been remarkably…
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Higher Taxes, Less Business
By Cooper Conway Joe Rogan, the outspoken commenter, comedian, and host, announced on…
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Metro’s Untimely, Nonsensical Light-Rail Project
By John A. Charles, Jr. Last month, the Metro Council voted to send…
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A Money-Back Guarantee for Oregon Students
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Oregon public school students are not likely to return…
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Oregon Needs a Moratorium on Overbroad Laws
By Vlad Yurlov Once again, Oregon’s legislature has succumbed to shortsighted politics. Effective…
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Portland Politicians Suffer From the Edifice Complex
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. On July 24th, the New York Times ran a…
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Metro’s Broken Promise of Racial Equity
By Helen Doran A scenic drive through the country does not usually call…
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School Choice Means Equitable Funding
By Cooper Conway Last week, the United States officially surpassed 4 million documented…
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COVID-19 is limiting classroom access; it’s time to stop limiting Oregon’s online charter school enrollment
By Cooper Conway The Oregon Education Association (OEA) recently penned a letter to legislators urging…
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TriMet’s decreasing ridership makes the SW Corridor project obsolete
By Rachel Dawson TriMet’s weekly system boardings were down 68% in May compared…
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Regulating Third Party Food Delivery Services is Hurting, Not Helping, Portlanders
By Rachel Dawson Based on the passage of a 10% cap on commission…
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Coronavirus Shouldn’t Stop Learning
By Cooper Conway On March 16, Governor Kate Brown directed Oregon schools to…
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Energy Reform Is Needed to Combat Rising Energy Bills in Oregon
By Rachel Dawson After 42 years, the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA)…
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Metro’s Transportation Package: Progressive Politics Mask Regressive Tax
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. While much of the region is stuck at home…
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Metro’s $700,000 Sentiment
By Helen Cook On June 25th, Metro approved $700,000 in taxpayer money for…
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The Big Jobs Squeeze of 2020
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. This is a terrible time to own and run…
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July Minimum Wage Increase Means Maximum Uncertainty
By Cooper Conway On July 1st, the Portland area’s minimum wage will increase…
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Supreme Court Upholds Parents’ Right to Choose Religious Schools
By Kathryn Hickok The U.S. Supreme Court ruled June 30 in Espinoza v….
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You can count on the “Every Mile Counts” plan to make life costlier for Oregonians
By Rachel Dawson Governor Kate Brown took carbon policy into her own hands…
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OLCC Provides a Silver Lining in COVID-19 Recovery
By Vlad Yurlov Alcohol-lovers may have a reason for a toast. Oregon’s Liquor…
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Supporting Students, Not Systems, Is Social Justice
By Cooper Conway George Floyd’s tragic death has led to growing calls for…
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The Era of Permanent Prosperity Is Over: It’s Time for a Serious Budget Discussion
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. The 2020 we’re living in is very different from…
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Cars, not transit, are the COVID-19 transportation heroes
By Rachel Dawson When it comes to commuting during COVID-19, private vehicles are…
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The hidden truth behind the Renewable Energy Certificate market
By Rachel Dawson You may have noticed companies and public agencies using the…
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To Meet Kids’ Urgent Education Needs, Oregon Should Give Parents a “Money-Back Guarantee” Through School Choice
By Kathryn Hickok School choice has been increasing in popularity with parents for…
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Education Savings Accounts Are an Innovative Way to Provide Flexible, Safe K-12 Options
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. The COVID-19 pandemic has wrecked state and local budgets….
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School Choice Can Help Solve K-12 Social Distancing Challenges
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. The COVID-19 pandemic has wrecked education budgets. And, it’s…
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Metro has a history of breaking promises to voters. The housing bond measure is no exception.
By Rachel Dawson Metro has a history of breaking promises to voters. This…
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COVID-19 Is Killing the Economy; New Business Taxes Are Bayonetting the Wounded
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Many Oregon businesses are looking forward toward May 15….
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COVID-19 and New Business Taxes: Bayonetting the Wounded
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Many Oregon businesses are looking forward toward May 15….
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Metro’s Housing Measure: Bad Policy, Terrible Timing
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Does Metro’s appetite for more money ever end? Last…
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Think renewable energy is infallible? Michael Moore’s film “Planet of the Humans” says to think again
By Rachel Dawson Despite the claims of environmentalists promoting wind and solar energy,…
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Flexibility and Students’ Needs Should Drive Education Options in 2020
By Kathryn Hickok Oregon’s experience with COVID-19 will change the ways students in…
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Ballot Measures with No Accountability Deserve a No Vote
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. We all need to raise questions about our politicians’…
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Portland Gas Tax: Big Dollars, Minuscule Results
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. This May, Portland voters will be asked to renew…
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Portland’s homeless population needs a “hand-up,” not another Metro money grab
By Rachel Dawson The Oregon nonprofit Cascadia Clusters understands the value of providing…
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Letting Oregonians Find a Path to Recovery Is Essential Business
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Oregon is nearing the end of the first month…
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Nature 1, Lockdown 0
John A. Charles, Jr. Public officials are angry that thousands of Oregonians have…
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As more people work remotely, a reliable grid is needed now more than ever
By Rachel Dawson “The vast disparity between the rich and the poor is,…
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ODOT Must Move Forward on the Rose Quarter I-5 Bottleneck
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Last week, the Oregon Transportation Commission took a significant…
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Online charter school students were learning at home just fine, so why have their schools been taken away from them?
By Kathryn Hickok If Oregon charter school students can stay at home and…
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Small Modular Reactors Are Not the 20th-Century Nuclear Plants We’re Familiar With
By Rachel Dawson Oregon, it’s about time we talk about nuclear power. No,…
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The Upcoming PERS Crisis: The system is facing a $30 billion shortfall—radical reform is needed
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Coronavirus has hit the economy hard. Nearly all the…
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Oregon Can Support Workers by Reducing Regulations
By Rachel Dawson Businesses across Oregon are laying off employees and shuttering their…
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Tax Relief Can Slow the Spread of COVID-19 Financial Panic
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. The coronavirus is already taking a toll on our…
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Kate Brown is out of touch if she thinks an executive order is needed to reduce emissions
By Rachel Dawson Oregon’s Governor Kate Brown responded to the Republican walk-out and…
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Cascade Policy Institute Asks the Federal Transit Administration to Enforce Light Rail Contracts with TriMet
March 9, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: John A. Charles, Jr. (503)…
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The Housing Crisis Isn’t a Portland Problem; It’s a UGB Problem
By Rachel Dawson Portland’s housing crisis isn’t unique to the Metro region. Other…
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Metro’s Housing Tax Requires Serious Oversight
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. At the first—and likely only—public hearing on Metro’s “supportive…
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The Grid Is Not a Tinker Toy
By John A. Charles, Jr. Rarely has Oregon’s lack of political leadership been…
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Cap Taxes or You’ll Trade Business
By Miranda Bonifield You may not be able to tax carbon out of…
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TriMet Drops Ridership Estimate by 13% for Tigard Light Rail
By John A. Charles, Jr. After eight years of bragging that the proposed…
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Frustrated with Traffic? According to PBOT, That’s Your Problem
By Rachel Dawson The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), the agency charged with…
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Cascade Policy Institute Raises Concerns Metro Is Flouting Oregon Public Meetings Law
Transparency is critical as Metro asks voters to trust the agency with billions…
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They Always Want More: Voters Face at Least a Half Dozen New Taxes in 2020
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. With this year’s “short” session of the legislature, the…
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Supreme Court Espinoza Case Debates Parents’ Freedom to Choose Religious Schools
By Miranda Bonifield When Kendra Espinoza’s husband suddenly left their small family, her…
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Oregon is meeting its 2020 GHG emissions goals, depending on how you measure it
By Rachel Dawson Is Oregon meeting its 2020 greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction…
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Oregon and Washington Need to Think Bigger on I-5 Bridge Project
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. “It’s time to get this done!” Governor Kate Brown…
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