Metro’s Playing Farmville With Taxpayer Money
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. People in the Portland area love their parks and…
Read Blog DetailTag: cascade Policy Institute
Local governments seeking to ban natural gas are willfully ignoring Oregon voters.
By Rachel Dawson Think the natural gas industry is dying? The latest data…
Read Blog Detail
Why is Oregon One of the Last States with a Mask Mandate?
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Why does Oregon still have a mask mandate? Oregon…
Read Blog Detail
Support for HB 4140—Expands duties of Oregon Government Ethics Commission to
conduct investigations, make findings and impose penalties for violations of public
meetings law.
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Public meetings can be boring, but those meetings are…
Read Blog Detail
Bud Clark Was More Than “Whoop! Whoop!”
He Had the Right Approach on Homelessness By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Fewer than…
Read Blog Detail
Portlanders are fed up with homelessness, crime, and their elected officials.
By Rachel Dawson A recent poll by the Portland Business Alliance found that…
Read Blog Detail
Metro’s New Parks Took Too Long, Leave Too Much to Be Desired
By Micah Perry In December 2021, Metro, the Portland-area regional government, opened Newell…
Read Blog Detail
Oregon Should Expand Education Choices to Help All Students Succeed
By Kathryn Hickok Oregon students are now half-way through their third school year…
Read Blog Detail
National School Choice Week Celebrates Options and Opportunities in K-12 Education
By Kathryn Hickok January 23-29 is National School Choice Week, a 50-state celebration…
Read Blog Detail
Remove Oregon’s Age Restriction on GED Tests
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. COVID-19 disrupted—and may continue to disrupt—in-person learning at many…
Read Blog Detail
Oregon’s Century-Old Lesson in Public Education
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Earlier this week, the Michigan Democratic Party’s Facebook account…
Read Blog Detail
Don’t own an EV? Too bad. Oregon says you’ll pay for the infrastructure anyway.
By Rachel Dawson With the start of a new year, power customers will…
Read Blog Detail
Oregon’s Measure 110 needs more accountability for drug users
By Rachel Dawson Nearly a year after Oregon’s drug decriminalization experiment began, results…
Read Blog Detail
Homelessness: Outdated Theories Lead to Doomed Policies
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. What if everything we thought we knew about homelessness…
Read Blog Detail
Oregonians Tell Politicians: If You’re Not Part of the Solution, You’re Part of the Problem
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. If you guessed that Oregonians think homelessness is the…
Read Blog Detail
Testimony of John Charles Before the State Land Board Regarding the DSL Strategic Plan
By John A. Charles, Jr. Testimony of John A. Charles, Cascade Policy InstituteBefore…
Read Blog Detail
Oregon is falling behind other states in the race for advanced nuclear power
By Rachel Dawson The era of small-modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) is upon us,…
Read Blog Detail
Fudged Numbers and a Failed Response
By Micah Perry It’s been more than six years since Portland declared a…
Read Blog Detail
Economic Growth: The Only Game in Town
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Last month, the Oregonian excitedly reported some great news:…
Read Blog Detail
Public School Closures Are Hurting Oregon Students
By Rachel Dawson The public school shutdowns have gone too far. Once reserved…
Read Blog Detail
Should anyone care about the new Washington Square Regional Plan?
By John A. Charles, Jr. The Tigard City Council is going through the…
Read Blog Detail
Milton Friedman: Everyone is Greedy, No One’s an Angel, and That’s OK
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Economist Milton Friedman passed away 15 years ago this…
Read Blog Detail
Utilities should plan on using firm, reliable resources during peak events
By Rachel Dawson Portland General Electric is living a virtual power plant pipe…
Read Blog Detail
Lincoln County’s Harmful Blame Game
By Micah Perry In a recent November special election, Lincoln County approved a…
Read Blog Detail
How COVID-19 Turned 2021 into “The Year of School Choice”
By Kathryn Hickok This fall, Oregon children began their third school year since…
Read Blog Detail
Innovation, not regulation, is the most effective way to control GHG emissions
By Rachel Dawson Governor Kate Brown has joined other state and national representatives…
Read Blog Detail
Washington County Tells Small Business Owners They Just Don’t Care
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Next week, the Washington County Commission is expected to…
Read Blog Detail
Oregon Needs More Hospital Beds and Less Regulation
By Micah Perry Tired of wearing a mask? You’re not alone. In August,…
Read Blog Detail
Portland officials need an attitude adjustment when it comes to violent crimes
By Rachel Dawson Just over a year ago the Portland City Council cut…
Read Blog Detail
The Real Problem with Metro’s Parks and Nature Spending
By Micah Perry Over the course of more than 25 years, Metro’s parks…
Read Blog Detail
ODOT’s use of inaccurate data will yield incorrect results
By Rachel Dawson Oregon elected officials and appointed staff love to claim they…
Read Blog Detail
Save Your Money, Save the State: Keep the Kicker
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. A few months ago, Oregonians learned they will be…
Read Blog Detail
PacifiCorp can do more to prevent future blackouts
By Rachel Dawson Environmental groups including the Sierra Club and Western Resource Advocates…
Read Blog Detail
Poll Shows a Growing Majority of Registered Voters Support School Choice
By Kathryn Hickok During the past 18 months, parents have taken a hard…
Read Blog Detail
Portland Politicians Talk Tough to Texas, and No One Cares
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Last week, I attended my first out-of-state conference in…
Read Blog Detail
Oregon’s New Graduation Standards Turn Diplomas into Participation Trophies
By Micah Perry In this summer’s Olympic Games, Oregon natives Kim Hill and…
Read Blog Detail
Dropping High School Graduation Standards Hurts Students’ Future Prospects
By Stewart Robertson Recently, Governor Kate Brown quietly signed Senate Bill 744. The…
Read Blog Detail
Oregon’s 2021 Energy Regulations Are Already Hurting Consumers
By Rachel Dawson Did you just have an order for a desktop computer…
Read Blog Detail
Portland Parks are Wrecked
(Photo is a stock photo.) By Stew Robertson You would think Portland Parks…
Read Blog Detail
Portland’s Next Step to Thriving Is a Trusted Police Force
By Mia Tiwana If we want to continue seeing downtown Portland improve, maybe…
Read Blog Detail
Ratepayers are struggling to pay their utility bills and Kate Brown doesn’t care
By Rachel Dawson Oregonians are struggling to pay their utility bills. So then…
Read Blog Detail
Portland’s Housing Affordability Debacle
By Stew Robertson The City of Portland’s housing state of emergency, first declared…
Read Blog Detail
When the Police Go Away, The Criminals Will Play
By Mia Tiwana Portland is on its way to having more than three…
Read Blog Detail
Press Release: Heat Wave Highlights Fatal Flaws of Wind Power
July 9, 2021 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact:John A. Charles, Jr.President & CEOCascade…
Read Blog Detail
Roads, Not Light Rail, Get Us Through Extreme Weather
Light rail has problems with reliability despite massive government funding. By Stew Robertson…
Read Blog Detail
Travelers, Please Come to Portland … After We Clean Up the Place
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. If you get the Sunday New York Times, your…
Read Blog Detail
The PERS Crisis at 21: The PERS Board Must Act
By adopting a near-zero assumed rate of return, PERS can become solvent in…
Read Blog Detail
PDX to Invest $150,000 in Failed Housing Policy
Portland’s policy of Inclusionary Zoning makes housing less affordable for families. By Vlad…
Read Blog Detail
The Results of the Motel Program for the Homeless
How the Housing First approach keeps failing to support homeless reentry into independent…
Read Blog Detail
Homeless Programs are Promising Excuses
By Vlad Yurlov The Portland region’s top homelessness officials delivered another set of…
Read Blog Detail
Oregon Senate Passes Largest School Budget in State History
State spending per student in public school is $2,000 more than average private…
Read Blog Detail
A new loss of load probability heightens concerns over the Northwest’s power grid
By Rachel Dawson The race is on for a reliable power grid. A…
Read Blog Detail
Portland Street Response: What Are You Waiting For?
By Vlad Yurlov Portland’s Lents neighborhood got a new homeless program in 2021….
Read Blog Detail
Vlad Yurlov, Policy Analyst at Cascade Policy Institute, testified against funding ineffective homeless services
Chair Kafoury and Commissioners, Over the last year, the Joint Office of Homeless…
Read Blog Detail
The Era of DIY Government Will Not End Well
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Last week, a Craigslist post brought it home—we’re in…
Read Blog Detail
Anti-Freeway Group Clogs the Courts to Keep Congestion
The “No More Freeways” mantra is extending Portland’s worst bottleneck By Vlad Yurlov…
Read Blog Detail
Portland’s Homeless Policy Must Switch Gears to Achieve Long-Term Results
Doubling down on failing policy puts both homeless residents and taxpayers at risk…
Read Blog Detail
Four Things You Should Know About Learning Pods in Oregon
By Helen Doran Learning pods have become a popular solution for parents searching…
Read Blog Detail
Oregon Families Deserve Choice in Online Learning: SB 240 Would Lift the Cap on Online Charter Schools
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. We’ve heard a lot of bad news during the…
Read Blog Detail
Press Release: Re: Metro Council Resolution No. 21-5171
April 29, 2021 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Cascade Policy Institute4850 SW Scholls Ferry Rd.,…
Read Blog Detail
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
Eric Fruits, Ph.D. provided testimony to the Oregon Senate in support of SB 240
Via EmailApril 20, 2021 Senate Committee on EducationOregon State Legislature Re: Support for…
Read Blog Detail
Dams and Fish Can Live Together, Thanks to Whooshh
By Rachel Dawson Should we breach Northwest hydropower dams to replenish native fish…
Read Blog Detail
Are Oregon students looking at distance learning in the fall?
By Helen Doran The president of the National Education Association recently said she…
Read Blog Detail
Prepare for Portland’s Post-Pandemic Party
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. We’re in the waning days of the pandemic, and…
Read Blog Detail
Vlad Yurlov, Policy Analyst at Cascade Policy Institute, provided testimony on Portland City Council’s Shelter to Housing Continuum
Via emailMarch 30, 2021 Portland City Council, I’m Vlad Yurlov, policy analyst at…
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
Beware the Four Day School Week
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. As Oregon students return to the classrooms, watch out…
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
Design Review Is Growing Portland’s Housing Crisis
Subjective rules reduce the supply of housing By Vlad Yurlov Portland City Council…
Read Blog Detail
Every Student Deserves Access to a Quality Education
By Helen Doran Every student deserves access to a quality education. Despite the…
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
Press Release: SB 223 Is an “All-Out Attack” on Private Schools
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMarch 11, 2021 Cascade Policy Institute4850 SW Scholls Ferry Rd., Ste….
Read Blog Detail
Price Gouging
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Last week, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum’s office reached…
Read Blog Detail
Hydroelectric power is renewable; it’s time legislators recognize that
By Rachel Dawson Oregon has always been a national leader in providing clean…
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
To ensure the lights stay on, Oregon needs a robust portfolio of energy resources
By Rachel Dawson Recent freezing temperatures and power outages in both Oregon and…
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
Portland Is Ill, but Not Dying
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. A recent column published in Forbes has caused quite…
Read Blog Detail
Oregon Should Increase Parents’ Education Options to Help Every Child Succeed
By Kathryn Hickok January 24-30 is National School Choice Week, the world’s largest…
Read Blog Detail
Compensate Families for Schooling During the Shutdown
Repurpose money from the Student Success Act to offset the cost to families…
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) [email protected]…
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
Metro needs to break down barriers to nature
By Helen Doran In Metro’s latest quarterly newsletter, “Our Big Backyard,” the reader…
Read Blog Detail
2021: The Year of Wishful Thinking
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. With the clock ticking down to midnight on December…
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
The Region’s New Transfer Station Means Frills and Bills
By Vlad Yurlov Would you like to have a nice picnic near a…
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
TriMet’s Zombie Light Rail Project
By John A. Charles, Jr. President Trump is not the only one refusing…
Read Blog Detail