To Save the Library, Don’t Leave Good Ideas on the Shelf
Sometime in the next three months, the Multnomah County commissioners will decide whether…
Read Blog DetailCategory: Tax and Budget
Taking Another Shot at the Profit Motive
The Occupy movement is encouraging people to take their money out of “big…
Read Blog DetailThe President’s Tax Proposal Would Cripple Charities
President Obama proposed once again that Congress reduce the federal itemized tax deduction…
Read Blog DetailWhen Does Theft Turn into Taxation?
The Occupy Wall Street/Occupy Portland crowds are demanding that “rich people” pay their…
Read Blog DetailThe Battle of the Book Worms: Who Should Pay for “Free” Public Libraries?
By Christopher Robinson, John A. Charles Jr., and Kathryn Hickok When Jackson County,…
Read Blog DetailOregon’s $392 Million Unemployment Mistake
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, almost $19 billion in state unemployment…
Read Blog DetailDrop the Envy Card: Wealth Grows From Serving Others
The politics of envy is alive and well. Too many Americans, including President…
Read Blog DetailUnemployment Insurance, Savings Accounts or Both? A Way Forward for Oregon’s Workers
One silver lining of the burst housing bubble has been the increase in…
Read Blog DetailThe Debt Downgrade Blame Game
Politicians and pundits upset that tax increases were not part of the recent…
Read Blog DetailJohn Charles responds to attacks made by Metro Councilor Rex Burkholder and Metro Councilor Carlotta Collette
At the July 14, 2011 JPACT meeting, accusations were made about John Charles…
Read Blog DetailPortland’s Debt Isn’t Rosy
By Christopher Robinson The Federal Government isn’t the only one with a spending…
Read Blog DetailUnfunded Liabilities: Oregon’s Hidden Debt
By Michael Bastasch Congress is still debating raising the federal debt ceiling. This…
Read Blog DetailOregon’s Economic Outlook Continues to Slip
Hit hard by the national recession, Oregon lawmakers started the 2011 legislative session…
Read Blog DetailState Budget vs. Union Benefits
By Christopher Robinson Mediation continues in Salem between two major labor unions and…
Read Blog DetailJohn Charles Gives Legislature Issues to Work for Next Session
On 6/2, John Charles was an invited witness before the House Committee on…
Read Blog DetailOregon’s Next Green Folly
By Michael Bastasch Governor John Kitzhaber’s new “green” energy ploy, the Oregon “Cool…
Read Blog DetailRural Oregon Is Tired of Being Ignored
A statistic commonly used to highlight the economic hardship Oregonians bear is that…
Read Blog DetailKarla Testifies on HB 3290 to Allow More Land Use Options for Farmers
On May 10, Karla Kay Edwards testified before the Senate Environment and Natural…
Read Blog DetailPoison Pills vs. Gun Rights
Three common sense firearms bills passed the House of the Oregon Legislature and…
Read Blog DetailOregon Budget 101 feat Dan Lucas – Other Funds Budget
Dan Lucas discusses the Oregon Other Funds Budget, from the origins of the…
Read Blog DetailIs Oregon Business Friendly?
Many factors go into determining if a state is business friendly. A recent…
Read Blog DetailOregon Budget 101 feat Dan Lucas – Regional Spending Comparisons
Watch part II of Dan Lucas’s Oregon Budget 101 series. This episode discusses…
Read Blog DetailOregon Budget 101 with Dan Lucas – Overview and Growth
Part I in the Oregon Budget 101 series by Cascade Research Associate Dan…
Read Blog DetailComprehending a Comprehensive Plan
RSVP: Email [email protected] Event goes from 9:00 am – Noon The Taxpayer Foundation…
Read Blog DetailHB 3510: The Affordable Health Care for All Oregon
Testimony on HB 3510 Before the House Committee on Healthcare March 11, 2011…
Read Blog DetailTodd Wynn testifies before the Oregon Senate on the proposed plastic bag ban
Todd Wynn presents the Oregon Senate with information from Cascade Policy Institute and…
Read Blog DetailNo Property Rights, No Economic Freedom
[audio:3-1-11KarlaNoPropertyRightsAudio.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary by Karla…
Read Blog DetailHearing on Friday for K-12 Tax Credit Scholarship Program
The House Education Committee will hear a bill proposing a K-12 tax credit…
Read Blog DetailTodd Hosts Bill Post Part 2 (VIDEO)
Click here for part 1 Todd Wynn fills in for Bill Post on…
Read Blog DetailTodd Wynn on Bill Post Hour 1 (VIDEO)
Click here for Part 2 Todd Wynn fills in for Bill Post on…
Read Blog DetailDon’t Make Nicotine a Prescription Drug
Download PDF by Steve Buckstein If you thought that nothing could be more…
Read Blog DetailThe Fallacy of a $3.5 Billion State Budget Deficit
The Fallacy of a $3.5 Billion State Budget Deficit Download PDF by Steve…
Read Blog DetailSteve discusses the Soda Tax on KOIN
Steve was interviewed by KOIN 6 in Portland about the Soda Tax (segment…
Read Blog DetailWhat’s Wrong with Taxing Soft Drinks?
by Steve Buckstein Oregonians voted down a new tax on tobacco in 2007,…
Read Blog DetailBiggest Bang for Your Buck? A Closer Look at Portland’s $548 Million School Modernization Proposal
Biggest Bang for Your Buck? A Closer Look at Portland’s $548 Million School…
Read Blog DetailGet trained by Steve Buckstein on the Oregon Budget!
Below is a Letter from Richard P. Burke As you many know, the…
Read Blog DetailResetting Oregon’s Budget and Recharging Our Economy
Resetting Oregon’s Budget and Recharging Our Economy Download PDF by Steve Buckstein Oregon…
Read Blog DetailIntel-ligent Stimulus
[audio:QuickPoint10-20-10Christina.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary By Christina Martin…
Read Blog DetailHeritage releases video addressing Obama tax cuts
For those interested in the national debate on tax cuts, here’s an interesting…
Read Blog DetailThis is a "told you so" story about Measures 66 & 67 …
This is a “told you so” story about Measures 66 & 67 ……
Read Blog DetailVote for Hines, Oregon!
Vote For Hines Oregon! By Karla Kay Edwards The economies of rural Oregon…
Read Blog DetailEnding Transit Welfare as We Know It
[audio:QuickPoint7-27-10Andrew.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary by Andrew…
Read Blog DetailWhat Level of Government Maximizes Growth?
How much government is the right amount? A variety of studies have found…
Read Blog DetailThe Tax Dollar Addiction
[audio:QuickPoint6-15-10Todd.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary by Todd Wynn…
Read Blog Detail“Public Provisions” Pitfalls
“Public Provisions” Pitfalls By Christina Martin Nobody likes physical pain, but often it…
Read Blog DetailYou Make Too Much Money
You Make Too Much Money By Steve Buckstein Download Commentary Here In a…
Read Blog DetailOpportunity Knocks with Redistricting
Opportunity Knocks with Redistricting by Karla Kay Edwards Download Here It is obvious…
Read Blog DetailNEW REPORT – Economic Freedom: A No Regrets Strategy for Reducing Global Energy Consumption
Economic Freedom: A No Regrets Strategy for Reducing Global Energy Consumption A new…
Read Blog DetailTea Party Video
As April 15 approaches and thousands of tea party activists are planning events…
Read Blog Detail15 Years of Audits Reveal a Pattern of Fiscal Irresponsibility at the Oregon Commission for the Blind
[audio:QuickPoint 2-10-10.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary 15 Years…
Read Blog DetailAfter Raising Taxes, Oregonians Should Reject Moves to Gut the Kicker Law
Click here to read the full report in PDF format Summary: Governor Kulongoski…
Read Blog DetailThe Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: The Business Energy Tax Credit
[audio:QuickPoint 1-27-10.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary The Business…
Read Blog DetailThe Real Winners if Measures 66 & 67 Pass
One of the most important back stories about the current Measure 66 and…
Read Blog Detail“Visit but don’t stay” turns into “Come and pay more”
[audio:QuickPoint 1-13-10.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary The fates…
Read Blog DetailOregon.gov Publishes State Workers’ Salaries
PRESS RELEASE CONTACT: Jacob Szeto In an effort to meet requirements for a…
Read Blog DetailOregon Economists Expand on the Negative Effects of Measure 66 and 67 Tax Increases
Cascade Policy Institute just released a major economic study which uses two different…
Read Blog DetailTax Policy and the Oregon Economy:The Effects of Measures 66 and 67
by Eric Fruits, Ph.D. and Randall Pozdena, Ph.D. Click here to read the…
Read Blog DetailCell Phone Mismanagement Costs Oregon Taxpayers at Least $588,000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jacob Szeto T: 503.242.0900 F: 503.242.3822 A recent report…
Read Blog DetailClimate Change Alarmists in Hot Water
Summary: We are told that the earth is the hottest it has been…
Read Blog DetailTaking the Wider View on Tax Increases
Beware the common wisdom about who might support and who might oppose the…
Read Blog DetailTaxing Work
[audio:QuickPoint 12-2-09.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary This January,…
Read Blog DetailLearning from Others: Education Tax Credits are a Win-Win
Summary: Forty-four percent of Oregon parents would choose private school if they could…
Read Blog DetailOregon Has a 60th Congressional District!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jacob Szeto T: 503.242.0900 F: 503.242.3822 According to Recovery.gov,…
Read Blog DetailKilling Jobs with Tax Increases
Summary: The looming campaign to approve or reject two new legislative tax increases…
Read Blog DetailDebunking Tax Increase Claims
[audio:QuickPoint 11-4-09.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary The campaign…
Read Blog DetailWill Work for Human Capital
Summary: The teenage unemployment and underutilization rates are staggeringly high. This has a…
Read Blog DetailTax Credits for Hybrids Don’t Significantly Increase Demand
[audio:QuickPoint – 7-29-09.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary It…
Read Blog DetailOregon could add 20,000 new jobs at no cost to taxpayers if Congress will end the federal estate tax
For Immediate Release Contact: Steve Buckstein (503) 242-0900 or [email protected] Portland, Oregon,…
Read Blog DetailFederal Climate Bill Will Intensify Oregon’s Recession
Summary: Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 2454, known as…
Read Blog DetailThe Great Taxation of ’09
[audio:QuickPoint 7-8-09.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary With the…
Read Blog DetailRaising Oregon’s Corporate Income Tax RateWill Cost 43,000 Oregon Jobs
Raising tax rates of any kind risks impairing the private sector’s motivation to…
Read Blog DetailTaxing the “Wealthy” More Will Cost 36,000 Oregon JobsBy Bill Conerly
I estimate that raising the maximum tax rates on personal income, including capital…
Read Blog DetailAn Economist’s Perspective on HB 3405 and HB 2649By Randall J. Pozdena, PhDPresident, QuantEcon Inc.June 9, 2009
The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and should not be…
Read Blog DetailUpdate on the status of SB80The Oregon version of a cap-and-trade program
Senate bill 80 has been referred to the Ways and Means committee and…
Read Blog DetailWhy taxing the rich may backfire
[audio:QuickPoint 6-3-09.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary Oregon state…
Read Blog Detail“A Job in Every Home”
Just when federal and state legislators are passing economic stimulus packages to get…
Read Blog DetailDHS Transformation Initiative: Anything But Transparent
In a world full of names, acronyms and management change plans, taxpayers can…
Read Blog DetailGovernment Grows,Even in Recession
Most Oregonians think that our state government is short of money, billions of…
Read Blog DetailLegislators Table Attemptto Steal the Kicker
Summary: SJR 29 is based on a fallacy. Its supporters assume that the…
Read Blog DetailMy Two Cents and My Freedom:The Cost of Paid Family Leave
Some Oregon activists are begging the state legislature to create yet another social…
Read Blog DetailMarket Intervention Overkill
Click here to read the full report in PDF format Summary: Many bills…
Read Blog DetailGovernment Gas Detectors
[audio:QP – 4-8-09.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary Oregon…
Read Blog DetailA Sign of the Times
[audio:QP – 4-1-09.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary The…
Read Blog DetailA New Day for a Cleaner Election
Click here to read the full report in PDF format Summary: Last fall…
Read Blog DetailCap-and-Trade in Oregon: A Primer for Legislators and Citizens
Introduction Climate change, and how to deal with it, is literally one of…
Read Blog DetailCap-and-Trade’sTrue Ability to Curb Global WarmingIs Not So Hot
Summary: The decision to regulate greenhouse gases is based on the premise that…
Read Blog DetailReject transferring billions of dollars from the private to the public sector:What’s wrong with SJR 29
March 3, 2009 As a member of the Task Force on Comprehensive Revenue…
Read Blog DetailTax Reform Vision Goes Up In Smoke
Summary: The Task Force on Comprehensive Revenue Restructuring was charged with developing a…
Read Blog DetailObama’s Stimulus Plan: A Plan Without Stimulus
At the cost of $819 billion, the current House version of the Obama…
Read Blog DetailOregon and Washington, Disconnected
[audio:QP1-14-09.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary Once again, Oregon…
Read Blog DetailThe Convention Center Hotel: A Perfect Storm of Bad Planning
Click here to read this Commentary in PDF format Summary Metro wants to…
Read Blog DetailGuiding Principles for Taxation in Oregon
Summary With Oregon facing a $1-billion-and-counting budget deficit, the temptation exists for legislators…
Read Blog DetailTough Times Call for Smart Spending
Summary Oregon state revenues are now projected to be $1 billion short of…
Read Blog DetailCan Social Insurance Be Reformed?
Summary The financial liabilities of social insurance programs in the United States in…
Read Blog DetailTaxing the Poor
Looking for more tax revenue wherever they can find it, some legislators and…
Read Blog DetailDoes Oregon Spend Too Much?
Summary Demographically benchmarking Oregon spending goes an important step beyond simply making government…
Read Blog DetailThe Ranking of Oregon State and Local Spending
Summary This study updates past research to benchmark Oregon’s spending (Pozdena and Fruits…
Read Blog DetailEffective Asset-Building Coalitions Diversify
A recent report published by the Center for Social Development at Washington University…
Read Blog DetailHow Much Does State Government Cost Each Oregonian?
Summary Ask even reasonably knowledgeable people how big the Oregon state budget is…
Read Blog Detail