Update 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 DetailTodd Wynn Testimony for House Joint Resolution 48, Committee on RevenueMay 28, 2009
Listen to Todd’s testimony on this audio file at 1:30:01-1:33:34 and response from…
Read Blog DetailTimber Jobs: Jeopardy or Opportunity?
[audio:QuickPoint 5-27-09.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary In today’s…
Read Blog DetailJohn A. Charles, Jr. Testimony supporting SB 36 Tolling Authority for Bridges
Listen to John’s testimony at 1:47:05 through 1:57:35 on this audio file, which…
Read Blog DetailRepresentative Matt Wingard Testimony opposing SB 34 on Video
Senate Bill 34 gives TriMet authority to increase payroll taxes. Watch Representative Wingard’s…
Read Blog DetailSB 767 Violates Oregon’s Education Reform Promise
[audio:QP 5-20-09.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary Oregon received…
Read Blog DetailTestimony of John A. Charles, Jr. Regarding SB 34-A May 18, 2009
Listen to this testimony at 2:55:51-3:09:05 on this audio file. My name is…
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 DetailJohn A. Charles, Jr. Testimony regarding HJM11 Carbon Sequestration on Federal Timberlands May 6, 2009
Listen to this testimony at 1:00:00-1:03:45 on this audio file. Mr. Chairman and…
Read Blog DetailJohn A. Charles, Jr.Testimony on HB3253subsidies for electric vechiclesHouse Revenue CommitteeMay 6, 2009
Listen to the testimony at 0:30-6:21 on this audio file. Mr. Chairman, although…
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 DetailTo Empower Families, Encourage Savings
Some activists are begging Oregon’s legislature to create yet another social safety net:…
Read Blog DetailSteve Buckstein Testimony in favor of HB 2817 before the Senate Business and Transportation CommitteeMay 4, 2009
Chair Metsger and members of the Committee, my name is Steve Buckstein. I’m…
Read Blog DetailGreen Jobs to the Rescue?
[audio:QP – 4-29-09.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary Last…
Read Blog DetailKathryn Hickoktestimony on SB 767Senate Education CommitteeApril 22, 2009
Chair Hass and members of the committee, I am Kathryn Hickok from Cascade…
Read Blog DetailOREGON SCHOOL CHOICE VIDEO CONTESTWINNING FAMILY CLAIMS $10,000 GRAND PRIZE
A Hillsboro 8th grader will receive up to ten thousand dollars to help…
Read Blog DetailWho Represents the Children?
[audio:QP – 4-22-09.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary If…
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 DetailTestimony from John A. Charles, Jr. on HB 3253House Transportation CommitteeApril 8, 2009
HB 3253 would create a tax credit for plug-in electric drive motor vehicles…
Read Blog DetailTestimony for House Bill 3300House Sustainability and Economic Development Committee
Background House Bill 3300 instructs the State Workforce Investment Board to develop a…
Read Blog DetailTestimony for House Bill 3155House Environment and Water Committee
Background House Bill 3155 will require consumer-owned utilities (COU) to establish local conservation,…
Read Blog DetailTestimony of John A. Charles, Jr.Regarding the proposed DEQ budget
April 15, 2009 Overview Environmental trends over long periods of time matter more…
Read Blog DetailTestimony of John A. Charles, Jr.Regarding SB 580-6
. April 15, 2009 As a member of the Oregon Road User Fee…
Read Blog Detail“Education Does Come First, Doesn’t It?”
[audio:QP_KH – 4-15-09.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary “There…
Read Blog DetailTestimony for Senate Bill 80-3Senate Environment and Natural Resources CommitteeApril 14, 2009
Click here to read the full report in PDF format Senate Bill 80…
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 DetailWhy I’m Not Gloomy About Our Economic Future
Summary: The U.S. has survived much worse policies and attitudes than our current…
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 DetailEducation Tax Credits Can Save Oregon Money
Summary: House Bill 2754 would create two education tax credits, one for families’…
Read Blog DetailFiscal Impacts of Proposed Educational Tax Credits
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Executive summary Currently, Oregon parents of public school children…
Read Blog DetailEconomic Development: The Effective Answer to Climate Change
[audio:QP31809.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary Although global temperatures…
Read Blog DetailTestimony on SJR 29
Reject transferring billions of dollars from the private to the public sector March…
Read Blog DetailA New Day for a Cleaner Election
Click here to read the full report in PDF format Summary: Last fall…
Read Blog DetailFree-Flow Driving over the New Columbia River Bridge
[audio:QP3_11_09.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary Political leaders from…
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 DetailIf School Choice Were a TV Show
[audio:QP3409.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary From most 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 DetailHB 2500 creates a searchable government transparency website showing Oregonians everything they want to know about state taxes and spending.
Testimony before the House Committee on Rules in favor of House Bill 2500…
Read Blog DetailKarma Neutral: We do good deeds, so you don’t have to!
If they can do it with carbon, why can’t we do it with…
Read Blog DetailTax Reform Vision Goes Up In Smoke
Summary: The Task Force on Comprehensive Revenue Restructuring was charged with developing a…
Read Blog DetailA Convention Hotel by Any Other Name…
[audio:QP022409.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary City of Portland…
Read Blog DetailMaking Health Insurance More Affordable
[audio:QP021809.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary As the Oregon…
Read Blog DetailExpanding a Broken System Only Widens the Cracks
By Christina Martin Summary The Unemployment Insurance Modernization Act, tacked onto the current…
Read Blog DetailSB 168: Allows State Agencies to Open Facilities for the Generation of Electricity
Testimony for Senate Bill 168 Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee Todd Wynn…
Read Blog DetailMoney for Nothing: The Illusion of Carbon Offsets
Because cap-and-trade programs and other wide-ranging carbon emission reduction strategies rely heavily on…
Read Blog Detail“Global Warming Crisis: Cancelled”
Second New York conference of global warming skeptics announced, expected to draw up…
Read Blog DetailBailing Out School Choice
[audio:QP021109.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary The time for…
Read Blog DetailTestimony for SB80: Implementing a Cap-and-Trade Program in Oregon
Testimony for Senate Bill 80 Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee Todd Wynn…
Read Blog DetailFood Stamp Recruitment is not an Economic Development Strategy
By Shirley Iverson and John A. Charles, Jr. Summary Over the past decade,…
Read Blog DetailTestimony for SB76: Regarding the Removal of the Klamath Dams
Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee Senate Bill 76: Regarding the Removal of…
Read Blog DetailPublic Opinion Polls Express Doubt about Global Warming
[audio:QP020409.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary With a new…
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’s Carbon Offset Scam
Click here to read this Commentary in PDF format Summary Because cap-and-trade programs…
Read Blog DetailWin $10,000 for your Children’s K-12 Education!
[audio:QP012809.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary Do your children…
Read Blog DetailRegarding Management of the Elliott State Forest
Testimony of John A. Charles, Jr. President & CEO Regarding Management of the…
Read Blog DetailConceptual Approaches to Road Finance Reform
Roads should be funded primarily by user fees. However, it is not necessary…
Read Blog DetailSB79: Requiring Energy Performance Certificates and Increased Building Efficiency Codes
January 22, 2009 Testimony before the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee on…
Read Blog DetailOregon: No Country for Good Ideas
[audio:QP012109.mp3] Click the play button to hear the audio commentary In a 2007…
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 DetailExtending Unemployment Benefits or Extending Unemployment?
Click here to read this Commentary in PDF format Summary The Unemployment Compensation…
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 DetailWhy Singapore Retires Securely
Click here to read this Commentary in PDF format Summary Singapore’s Central…
Read Blog DetailNearly Nine out of Ten Oregonians Would Opt out of Regular Public Schools
Where do Oregonians send their children to school? Where would they send them…
Read Blog DetailNearly Nine of Ten Oregonians Would Opt Out of Regular Public Schools
– Survey Results Find Strong Support for School Choice Among Democrats, Independents, Republicans…
Read Blog DetailBeware of Government Job Creation Schemes
To pull us out of the current recession, politicians on the state and…
Read Blog DetailThe Help that Fails
Portland was recently chosen as one of five cities where the U.S. Small…
Read Blog DetailOregon Greenhouse Gas Reduction Policies:The Economic and Fiscal Impact Challenges
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Todd Wynn Tel.: 503-242-0900 Fax: 503-242-3822 E-mail: todd@cascadepolicy.org Cascade…
Read Blog DetailWhy the ASPIRE Act Has Not Become Law
Summary Public policy advocates and lawmakers have proposed numerous programs allowing people to…
Read Blog DetailGovernor’s Global Warming “Solution” Would Cut Economic Growth in Half
Policymakers in Oregon have concluded that global warming is a crisis, that the…
Read Blog DetailThe Severe Economic Costs of Cap-and-Trade in Oregon
Summary Greenhouse gas reduction strategies should strike a balance between economic costs of…
Read Blog DetailRenewable Energy by Choice, Not Force
Summary Existing voluntary green power programs can increase renewable energy generation without forcing…
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 DetailIs Portland Flushing Its Money Away?
In my wildest dreams I never thought I would be writing about the…
Read Blog DetailOregon Greenhouse Gas Reduction Policies: The Economic and Fiscal Impact Challenges
Many policymakers in Oregon have concluded that global warming is a crisis, that…
Read Blog DetailSmall Scholarships, Great Impact
Did you know that in the last ten years, over 600 Oregon children…
Read Blog DetailCleaning Up Oregon’s Sloppy Voter Registration System
Summary When Cascade Policy Institute compared the Social Security Master Death List to…
Read Blog DetailWind Power: The “Green” Myth
Summary Wind power is touted as a “green” solution to Oregon?s increasing energy…
Read Blog DetailCan Transit Agencies Learn to Embrace Car Ownership?
Summary Cascade Policy Institute submitted an innovative proposal to TriMet to cancel TriMet’s…
Read Blog DetailNuclear Power Can Help Oregon Meet Its Greenhouse Gas Reduction Goals
On October 27, 2008, Governor Ted Kulongoski announced his Climate Change Agenda to…
Read Blog DetailHey Buddy, Can You Spare a Charge?
Summary Advocates of plug-in vehicles profess that they will reduce air pollution, dependence…
Read Blog DetailDriver’s License or Good Citizen’s Card?
Summary The driver’s license was originally created to ensure public safety by setting…
Read Blog DetailNon-Partisan Think Tanks Promote Solutions
Today we are all aware of the candidate who won our highest office,…
Read Blog DetailVoting by Mail: A Dead Issue?
Summary Cascade Policy Institute commissioned a study of registered voters in Oregon, comparing…
Read Blog DetailPortland Children’s Investment Fund: Taxation Is Not the Same As Charity
Summary The proposed renewal of the five-year levy that created the Portland Children’s…
Read Blog DetailLet the Free Market Decide When Oregon Is Ready for More Wind Power
Summary Wind power advocates claim that wind power is a cost effective source…
Read Blog DetailVoting by Mail: A Dead Issue?
Ten years ago Oregon became the first state to vote exclusively by mail….
Read Blog DetailCan Social Insurance Be Reformed?
Summary The financial liabilities of social insurance programs in the United States in…
Read Blog DetailPrivate Schools Are “Invaluable,” Says U.S. Dept. of Education
The U.S. Department of Education has released a report entitled “Preserving a Critical…
Read Blog DetailWhy the Credit Unions Still Stand
There was a time when large national banks were considered more stable and…
Read Blog DetailCan Pay-for-Performance Work in the Classroom?
Summary Absent serious structural reforms such as school-level competition, paying for performance in…
Read Blog DetailPaying for Performance to Improve K-12 Student Achievement
Introduction and Executive Summary This report examines the potential for using performance incentives…
Read Blog DetailWas the Sub-Prime Mortgage Crisis Caused by Lack of Regulations?
Summary Did lack of government regulation create the subprime mortgage crisis? Most likely,…
Read Blog DetailIt’s 9 p.m. Election Night…Do You Know Where Your Ballot Is?
What happens to a ballot from the time you leave it at an…
Read Blog DetailFreedom and the Expansion of the EPA
In April 2007, the Supreme Court concluded that greenhouse gases (GHGs) meet the…
Read Blog Detail