The Closing of Boardman Coal Plant and the Hubris of Fossil Fuel Opponents
By Sam Herrin July 2024 In 1975, the state of Oregon issued permits…
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Equity Funding has not closed the racial achievement gap in Portland Schools
By Ethan Rohrbach April 2024 Non-white students have historically performed worse in Portland…
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The Affordable Housing Scam
By Randal O’Toole Executive Summary U.S. taxpayers spend tens of billions of dollars…
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Quantifying the Unreliability of Wind and Solar Power in the Northwest
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Executive Summary Over the next decade, Oregon and much…
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Press Release: Cascade Policy Institute Report Recommends Ways TriMet Can Modernize Transit Service for the 21st Century
September 14, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Cascade Policy Institute4850 SW Scholls Ferry Rd.,…
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TriMet in the Twenty-First Century
By Randal O’Toole Executive Summary The pandemic has made it painfully clear that…
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Cascade Policy Institute Research Finds School Choice Programs Can Boost Public School Performance
February 16, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Cascade Policy Institute4850 SW Scholls Ferry Rd.,…
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Cascade Policy Institute Research Finds School Choice Programs Can Improve Participants’ Academic Performance and Educational Attainment
February 15, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Cascade Policy Institute4850 SW Scholls Ferry Rd.,…
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Press Release: Cascade Policy Institute Research Shows Education Savings Accounts Can Foster School Choice While Boosting Per-Student Funding
February 9, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Cascade Policy Institute4850 SW Scholls Ferry Rd.,…
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Education Savings Accounts: A School Choice Solution That Can Save States Money
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Critics of education savings accounts, or ESAs, claim that…
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Education Savings Accounts Can Boost Per-Student Spending in Public Schools
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Critics of education savings accounts, or ESAs, claim ESA…
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Research Shows Voucher Programs Boost Test Scores and Improve Educational Attainment
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Vouchers and education savings accounts (ESAs) are a subset…
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Decades of Research Finds Voucher Programs Are Associated with Improved Public School Quality
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. In recent years, school vouchers and education savings accounts…
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Press Release: The $60 Million Question: Cascade Policy Institute Questions PPS Bond Spending
May 24, 2022 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contacts: Eric Fruits, Ph.D.Office: (503) [email protected]…
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The $60 Million Question: What Is the Center for Black Student Excellence?
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. and Mia Tiwana Executive Summary In November 2020, Portland…
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Press Release: Cascade Policy Institute Offers Straightforward Solutions to Oregon’s Homeless Crisis
January 22, 2021 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contacts: Eric Fruits, Ph.D.Office: (503) [email protected]…
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Homelessness in the Portland Region
Some straightforward solutions to a complex problem By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. and Vlad…
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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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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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Press Release: Report shows possible benefits to workers, employers, and unions from increased competition in representation
December 30, 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Eric Fruits, Ph.D. (503) 242-0900…
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Inter-Union Competition and Workplace Freedom: Ending Exclusive Representation
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Labor unions exist to improve compensation and…
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Press Release: Cascade Policy Institute Publishes Comprehensive Study of Metro’s Parks and Nature Program
October 15, 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contacts: John A. Charles, Jr. Eric…
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Hidden Lands, Unknown Plans: A Quarter Century of Metro’s Natural Areas Program
By Vladislav Yurlov, Helen Cook, and Micah Perry with Eric Fruits, Ph.D., research…
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The New Sellwood Bridge: Promises Unfulfilled
By John A. Charles. Jr. Executive Summary Portland has an international reputation for…
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Press Release: Multi-year case study of Multnomah County’s Sellwood Bridge explains the history behind worsening traffic congestion in the SE Portland bridge corridor
June 6, 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: John A. Charles, Jr. 503-242-0900…
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Education Savings Accounts: Fiscal Analysis of a Proposed Universal ESA in Oregon
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Executive Summary Education Savings Accounts deposit a percentage of…
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Press Release: Report shows Oregon’s “smart growth” policies make housing less affordable for Oregonians
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: John A. Charles, Jr. 503-242-0900 [email protected] PORTLAND, Ore….
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The Housing Affordability Crisis: The Role of Anti-Sprawl Policy
By Randall Pozdena, Ph.D. Executive Summary So-called smart growth policies are advocated as…
Read Blog DetailPress Release: Report shows ride-hailing services would be a viable solution for TriMet’s high-cost bus lines
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: John A. Charles, Jr. 503-242-0900 [email protected] PORTLAND, Ore….
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Ride Hailing as a Solution to TriMet’s High-Cost Bus Lines
A Proposal for a Pilot Project By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Summary and recommendation…
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A Proposal To Generate Adequate Returns From Common School Trust Lands
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Summary of Conclusions Across the Western States, approximately 80…
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Study: School Trust income would go up by 600% if lands were sold
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: John A. Charles, Jr. 503-242-0900 [email protected] PORTLAND, Ore….
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TriMet Shows That Public Pension Reform Is Possible
By Scott Shepard and John A. Charles, Jr. The Oregon Legislature is currently…
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Following in TriMet’s Tracks: Defined-Contribution Pensions a Necessary First Step to Oregon’s Fiscal Health
By Scott Shepard Scott Shepard is a lawyer and was a visiting law…
Read Blog DetailEducation Savings Accounts: Review and Evaluation of a Universal ESA in Oregon
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Education Savings Accounts deposit a percentage of…
Read Blog DetailNew Report Analyzes Fiscal Impact of Proposed Oregon Educational Opportunity Act
— Education Savings Account (ESA) program awaits Senate action April 13, 2017 Media…
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Facing Reality – Suggestions to balance Oregon’s budget without raising taxes
Contributors: Jeff Kropf; Steve Buckstein, Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Summary Despite an eight percent…
Read Blog Detail“Facing Reality” Report Offers Solutions to Governor Brown’s $1.7 Billion Budget Hole Without Raising Taxes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contacts: Steve Buckstein (503) 242-0900 Jeff Kropf (541) 729-6229…
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Minimum Wage – Its Role in the Youth Employment Crisis
By Randall Pozdena, Ph.D. Introduction and Executive Summary This paper examines the history…
Read Blog DetailCascade Report Finds Long-Term Negative Impacts on Youth from Oregon’s New Minimum Wage Policy
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Steve Buckstein Senior Policy Analyst Cascade Policy Institute…
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Using Disparate Impact to Restore Housing Affordability and Property Rights
By Randall O’Toole Executive Summary Portland, Bend, Medford, and to a lesser degree…
Read Blog DetailNew Report Highlights Civil Rights Implications of Oregon Land Use Laws, Urban Growth Boundaries
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: John A. Charles, Jr. [email protected] 503-242-0900 PORTLAND, Ore….
Read Blog DetailEarning Their Keep: Do Elected Officials in the Portland Region Show up for Meetings?
By Nick Pangares and John A. Charles, Jr. Most elected officials who serve on…
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Have Private Backyards Been Outlawed in the Portland Metro Area?
By John Glennon INTRODUCTION Anyone searching for a new home in the Portland…
Read Blog DetailCascade Report Exposes $2.6 Billion in Unfunded Liabilities
Cascade Policy Institute has released a new report showing that Oregon public employers…
Read Blog DetailUnfunded OPEB Liabilities for Oregon Public Employers: A $2.6 Billion Time Bomb
By William Newell with John Glennon and Brandon Maxwell Most Oregon taxpayers are…
Read Blog DetailReport Shows Oregon Public Employment Contracts Are a Ticking Time Bomb
PORTLAND, Ore. – Cascade Policy Institute today announced the release of a new…
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The Portland Seed Fund: Planting High Hopes, Reaping Few Results
By Joel Grey The Portland Seed Fund is a public-private venture intended to…
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Waiving Profitability: The Oregon Wave Energy Trust’s Failure to Achieve a Return on Public Investment
By Joel Grey The Oregon Wave Energy Trust (OWET) is a nonprofit, public-private…
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Resurrecting User Fees in Public Finance: A Prescription for Lowering the Cost and Improving the Fairness of Public Services
By Randall Pozdena, Ph.D. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The share of personal income collected as…
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A Legal Analysis of Oregon’s Trust Obligations in Managing the Elliott State Forest
By Kathryn Walter (Altus Law LLC) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY When Oregon became a state…
Read Blog DetailReport Shows Possibilities for Elliott State Forest to Make Money for Oregon Schools
Today, the Cascade Policy Institute released a report analyzing the range of policy…
Read Blog DetailTime to Reset Oregon’s Budget and Recharge Our Economy: Facing Reality 2013
The Oregon legislature is struggling to balance the state budget while meeting the…
Read Blog DetailCoalition Releases New ‘Facing Reality’ Budget Report
For Immediate Release April 8, 2013 PORTLAND, Ore. – Americans for Prosperity-Oregon and…
Read Blog DetailFacing Reality 2013: Ideas to Reset Oregon’s Budget and Recharge Its Economy
By Karla Kay Edwards Steve Buckstein Americans for Prosperity-Oregon and Cascade Policy Institute…
Read Blog DetailProtecting Public Safety and Reducing Correctional Costs in Oregon
By Vikrant P. Reddy and Marc A. Levin Oregon’s Corrections Challenges Oregon has…
Read Blog DetailMOODY AVENUE RETROFIT: How Portland Spent $52 Million to Make Traffic Worse in the South Waterfront
By Nathan Stecker and John A. Charles, Jr. Introduction In June 2012 the…
Read Blog DetailNew Report: The Right to Work Is Right for Oregon
The Right to Work Is Right for Oregon: A Comprehensive Analysis of the…
Read Blog DetailREPORT: The Dirty Secret Behind Clean Jobs
With unemployment on the rise, new jobs are scarce. Creating jobs has become…
Read Blog DetailLight Rail, Streetcars, & the Myth of “High Capacity Transit”
By John A. Charles, Jr. For the past several decades, TriMet has promoted…
Read Blog DetailRenewable Energy Failure: Why Government Mandates Don’t Work and What They Will Do to Our Economy
By Torey Holderith and Todd Wynn Here is an excerpt: Renewable energy has…
Read Blog DetailFacing Reality
By Americans for Prosperity and Cascade Policy Institute Download the Full Report Here…
Read Blog DetailSustainable Failure: Why Portland's Polystyrene Foam Ban Should Be Repealed
Introduction In the summer of 1988, Portland City Commissioner Bob Koch introduced an…
Read Blog DetailFocus on Measure 5: An Alternative Analysis of Measure Five’s Impact on State and Local Government
By Vernon S. White Why This Report? Depending on your viewpoint, the property…
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