Press Release: Re: Metro Council Resolution No. 21-5171
April 29, 2021 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Cascade Policy Institute4850 SW Scholls Ferry Rd.,…
Read Blog DetailCategory: Tax and Budget
Testimony Re: Metro Council Resolution No. 21-5171—Multnomah County Local Implementation Plan
Via Email April 29, 2021 Metro Council600 NE Grand Ave.Portland, OR 97232 Re: …
Read Blog Detail
Press Release: Oregon’s Legislature Seeks to Give up Taxpayer Bargaining Power
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEApril 2, 2021 Cascade Policy Institute4850 SW Scholls Ferry Rd., Ste….
Read Blog Detail
Oregon May Vote to Constantly Increase Infrastructure Spending
Raising prevailing wages would burden taxpayers and marginalize minorities By Vlad Yurlov Bad…
Read Blog Detail
In Search of an Oregon Drug Policy
By John A. Charles, Jr. Last November, Oregon voters approved three ballot measures…
Read Blog Detail
Green Shoots of Business Need Room to Blossom
By Vlad Yurlov It’s a bad sign when businesses need to fortify their…
Read Blog Detail
Price Gouging
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Last week, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum’s office reached…
Read Blog Detail
A Vision for Homeless Services: Open Up the Expo Center
By Vlad Yurlov and Eric Fruits, Ph.D. A recent Oregonian/OregonLive editorial criticizes Metro’s…
Read Blog Detail
Why Is “Affordable Housing” So Expensive?
By Vlad Yurlov Why is “affordable housing” so expensive? Many politicians, bureaucrats, and…
Read Blog Detail
Oregon Legislators Should Vote Yes on Nuclear Power
By Rachel Dawson Oregon is home to NuScale Power, the nation’s leading small…
Read Blog Detail
Empower Oregon Families Today by Funding Students, Not Systems
By Kathryn Hickok and Helen Doran Every parent knows a solid education prepares…
Read Blog Detail
SolarWorld factory closure is the latest among government subsidy mistakes
By Rachel Dawson Should governments use taxpayer dollars to support select companies of…
Read Blog Detail
Banning Bacon Won’t Heal the Sick
By Vlad Yurlov If you thought hospital food was bland now, get ready…
Read Blog Detail
Make Oregon the Opportunity State
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Oregonians blame Californians for many of our state’s woes….
Read Blog Detail
Take Stock, Then Take Action on Portland’s Homeless Crisis
By Vlad Yurlov Since 2015, Portland City Council has declared continuous housing emergencies….
Read Blog Detail
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) 242-0900eric@cascadepolicy.org…
Read Blog Detail
Homelessness in the Portland Region
Some straightforward solutions to a complex problem By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. and Vlad…
Read Blog Detail
Willamette Cove Is the Reset Button Metro Needs
By Helen Doran What does an old industrial site from World War II…
Read Blog Detail
Why are we still paying a “temporary” energy tax 19 years later?
By John A. Chalres. Jr. Every month when you pay your electricity bill,…
Read Blog Detail
Portland’s toxic taxes will do little for clean air
By Rachel Dawson In the middle of a worldwide pandemic that has decimated…
Read Blog Detail
Oregon’s new cigarette taxes will hurt, not help, low-income residents
By Rachel Dawson Oregon couldn’t let a new year commence without the rollout…
Read Blog Detail
Employers Are Left With the Bill After Lockdowns
By Vlad Yurlov When businesses fail, they shut down. But when the government…
Read Blog Detail
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,…
Read Blog Detail
Where Can the Homeless Go? Portland Still Doesn’t Know
Shelter space can be used effectively by tracking and reporting vacancies By Vlad…
Read Blog Detail
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…
Read Blog Detail
Who Will Pay the Bills When the Pandemic Ends?
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. This week, the U.K. became the first western nation…
Read Blog Detail
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…
Read Blog Detail
Comments on the Elliott State Research Forest proposal
John A. Charles, Jr.President & CEOCascade Policy InstituteNovember 29, 2020 Below is a…
Read Blog Detail
Electricity Ratepayers Need Tax Relief Now
December 3, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contacts:John A. Charles, Jr.Office: (503) 242-0900Mobile:…
Read Blog Detail
Oregon’s “Public Purpose” Energy Tax: Mission Accomplished, or Mission Creep?
By John A Charles, Jr. and Rachel Dawson EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Oregon Public…
Read Blog Detail
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…
Read Blog Detail
Oregon’s New Drug Law Contains a Lethal Dose of Unaccountability
Voters approve Measure 110, decriminalizing drugs while creating an unaccountable bureaucracy By Eric…
Read Blog Detail
Avoidable Expenses for Affordable Housing
By Vlad Yurlov While many people in the Portland region value efficient governments,…
Read Blog Detail
$7 Billion for That?
Metro’s Transportation Tax Will Overspend on Underused Projects By Rachel Dawson and Vlad…
Read Blog Detail
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…
Read Blog Detail
Government Alone Can’t Solve Homelessness
By Vlad Yurlov On October 2, Helping Hands unveiled its latest transitional housing…
Read Blog Detail
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…
Read Blog Detail
Metro: Deep in Debt and Getting Deeper
The regional government plans to borrow money to implement its new income taxes…
Read Blog Detail
Metro’s Mission Creep
By Vlad Yurlov Metro is expected to spend over $1.4 billion this fiscal…
Read Blog Detail
Pinocchio Politics on the November Ballot
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. President Trump is frequently accused of lying. But he…
Read Blog Detail
Metro Pushes Transportation Bond While Acknowledging Serious Problems
Oregon’s Business Community Is Challenging the $7.8 Billion Measure By Vlad Yurlov After…
Read Blog Detail
Higher Taxes, Less Business
By Cooper Conway Joe Rogan, the outspoken commenter, comedian, and host, announced on…
Read Blog Detail
Portland Politicians Suffer From the Edifice Complex
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. On July 24th, the New York Times ran a…
Read Blog Detail
Metro’s Broken Promise of Racial Equity
By Helen Doran A scenic drive through the country does not usually call…
Read Blog Detail
Regulating Third Party Food Delivery Services is Hurting, Not Helping, Portlanders
By Rachel Dawson Based on the passage of a 10% cap on commission…
Read Blog Detail
Energy Reform Is Needed to Combat Rising Energy Bills in Oregon
By Rachel Dawson After 42 years, the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA)…
Read Blog Detail
Metro’s Transportation Package: Progressive Politics Mask Regressive Tax
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. While much of the region is stuck at home…
Read Blog Detail
Metro’s $700,000 Sentiment
By Helen Cook On June 25th, Metro approved $700,000 in taxpayer money for…
Read Blog Detail
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…
Read Blog Detail
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…
Read Blog Detail
The hidden truth behind the Renewable Energy Certificate market
By Rachel Dawson You may have noticed companies and public agencies using the…
Read Blog Detail
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…
Read Blog Detail
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….
Read Blog Detail
COVID-19 and New Business Taxes: Bayonetting the Wounded
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Many Oregon businesses are looking forward toward May 15….
Read Blog Detail
Metro’s Housing Measure: Bad Policy, Terrible Timing
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Does Metro’s appetite for more money ever end? Last…
Read Blog Detail
Ballot Measures with No Accountability Deserve a No Vote
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. We all need to raise questions about our politicians’…
Read Blog Detail
Portland Gas Tax: Big Dollars, Minuscule Results
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. This May, Portland voters will be asked to renew…
Read Blog Detail
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…
Read Blog Detail
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…
Read Blog Detail
Oregon Can Support Workers by Reducing Regulations
By Rachel Dawson Businesses across Oregon are laying off employees and shuttering their…
Read Blog Detail
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…
Read Blog Detail
Metro’s Housing Tax Requires Serious Oversight
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. At the first—and likely only—public hearing on Metro’s “supportive…
Read Blog Detail
Cap Taxes or You’ll Trade Business
By Miranda Bonifield You may not be able to tax carbon out of…
Read Blog Detail
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…
Read Blog Detail
Why are rural, low-income residents subsidizing Teslas for Oregon’s urban elite?
By Rachel Dawson Oregon state officials recently celebrated helping the state reach 25,000…
Read Blog Detail
New Year, New Tax: What You Need to Know About Oregon’s Gross Receipts Tax
By Katie Eyre, CPA The 2019 Oregon Legislature established a new tax affecting…
Read Blog Detail
Why Cap-and-Trade Can’t Be “Tweaked”
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Oregon is less than three months away from the…
Read Blog Detail
Oregon Distilleries Deserve Better
By Helen Cook Oregon has a booming craft distilling industry. That’s why it’s…
Read Blog Detail
Metro Wants More Money—For Parks You May Never See
How much would you be willing to spend to buy parkland that would…
Read Blog Detail
Press Release: Cascade Policy Institute Urges a NO Vote on Measure 26-203
Cascade Policy Institute Urges a NO Vote on Measure 26-203 Voters should reject…
Read Blog Detail
Dumbing Down Voters
By John A. Charles, Jr. In 2016 Val Hoyle, then a legislator from…
Read Blog Detail
Portland’s Temporary Gas Tax Should Stay Just That
By Rachel Dawson Portland’s temporary gas tax should stay just that: temporary. Portland…
Read Blog Detail
Residents Say Portland is Not the City that Works
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. What if the self-proclaimed “City that Works” isn’t working?…
Read Blog Detail
Stop Raising Rents in Portland
By Micah Perry On Wednesday, August 7, 2019, the Portland City Council passed…
Read Blog Detail
Metro: Where Temporary Means Forever
By Rachel Dawson Milton Friedman once famously said that “nothing is more permanent…
Read Blog Detail
Portland’s City Council Wants Rent to Go Up
By Micah Perry The Portland City Council recently passed a new ordinance that…
Read Blog Detail
Oregon Distilleries Deserve Better
By Helen Cook How much would you be willing to pay in taxes…
Read Blog Detail
Portland’s Clean Energy Tax: A High Cost with Low Benefit
By Rachel Dawson In January 2019 the City of Portland implemented a voter-approved…
Read Blog Detail
Public Debt for Public Housing
By Vlad Yurlov In the 2018 general election, voters approved a bond measure…
Read Blog Detail
Portland’s Ill-Considered Climate Action Tax
By Micah Perry Last fall, Portland voters approved a new 1% tax on…
Read Blog Detail
Oregon Legislator to Oregon Business: “Let ‘em Leave!”
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. “Let ’em leave. Someone else’ll come in.” That was…
Read Blog Detail
SW Corridor Project: A Net Negative for the Environment
By John A. Charles, Jr. Portland politicians claim to be concerned about carbon…
Read Blog Detail
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…
Read Blog Detail
Carbon Regulation: Another Legislative Circus
By John A. Charles, Jr. According to the state’s Global Warming Commission, Oregon…
Read Blog Detail
Why Record-Breaking Revenues Aren’t Enough
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. This week, Oregon is facing a one-day teacher strike,…
Read Blog Detail
May 8 Should Be Declared “Fix PERS Now Day”
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. The Oregon Education Association is organizing a statewide walk-out…
Read Blog Detail
A Trio of Terrible Bills for Oregon Employers
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Apparently, there is no limit to the Oregon legislature’s…
Read Blog Detail
There’s No Such Thing As a Free Government
By Miranda Bonifield April 16 was the first day of 2019 where the…
Read Blog Detail
Portland’s Affordable Housing Bond: Nothing for Money
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Remember that song about getting money for nothing? In…
Read Blog Detail
Read My Lips: Metro’s Promises Are Doubtful at Best
By Miranda Bonifield There’s nothing so permanent as a temporary government program, and…
Read Blog Detail
Oregon Taxpayers Can’t Celebrate $146 Million Debt Service on the Elliott State Forest
By John A. Charles, Jr. This week our State Treasurer, Tobias Read, issued…
Read Blog Detail
What’s Causing Oregon’s “Housing Affordability Crisis”?
By Miranda Bonifield Here’s a question for you: Why is housing so expensive…
Read Blog Detail
A Done Deal and a Bad Deal: Why Rent Control Won’t Solve the Housing Crisis
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Oregon will soon be the first state to have…
Read Blog Detail
Cap and Trade in Oregon: All Pain, No Gain
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. The Oregon legislature is expected to pass a carbon cap-and-trade…
Read Blog Detail
Rent Control Is a Steal
By Miranda Bonifield Remember that emotional final episode of the now-classic sitcom Friends?…
Read Blog Detail
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…
Read Blog Detail
More Money for Schools Is Meaningless Without Controlling PERS Costs
By John A. Charles, Jr. Several members of the Portland Public Schools Community…
Read Blog Detail
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 john@cascadepolicy.org PORTLAND, Ore….
Read Blog Detail
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 Detail
ODOT’s Passenger Rail Project Equals Increasing Costs, High Taxpayer Subsidies
By Justus Armstrong The Oregon Department of Transportation recently published its Tier 1…
Read Blog Detail