MOST RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Kathryn Hickok — August 31,2010
By Kathryn Hickok
Solid Foundations Mean More Graduations
Did you know that students who drop out of high school are three times as likely to face unemployment, earn less than half the average salary of a college graduate, and are 47 times more likely to end up incarcerated than college graduates?
In Oregon, a third of public high school students do not earn a standard high school diploma in four years. What if you could do one simple thing to increase a lower-income child’s likelihood of high school graduation?
Steve Buckstein — August 26,2010
This is a “told you so” story about Measures 66 & 67 …
by Steve Buckstein
In December 2009, Cascade Policy Institute published a research report by Randall Pozdena, Ph.D. and Eric Fruits, Ph.D. forecasting the impacts of tax increase Measures 66 and 67 on Oregon employment.
The study was based on thorough research of peer-reviewed literature and a quantitative analysis of taxes and economic growth across the U.S. and over a long period of time. They concluded that the tax measures would have a significant negative impact on Oregon’s employment picture, as shown in Exhibit 1 on page 7 of their report.
Cascade Policy Institute — August 24,2010
Reclaim Oregon’s Forests: We Can Manage
By Ben Shelton
Federal ownership of Oregon’s forests has failed. Oregon, like other Western states, has relied on federal agencies to manage the majority of its land. But it is now clear this century-long experiment has crippled our forests and rural communities. In spite of these hardships, federal bureaucrats add insult to injury with reports like the one released in late July by the Western Oregon Task Force, which offered “too little, too late,” according to Oregon’s congressional delegation. If Oregonians want this to change, we must abandon our deep-rooted faith in federal agencies, reclaim our forests, and manage what is ours.
Cascade Policy Institute — August 24,2010
By Olivia Wolcott
Oregon School Districts Restrict Choice for Special Education Students
In Oregon public schools, every special education student receives an Individualized Education Program (IEP), designed to provide the child with an education in the “least restrictive environment” possible. However, Oregon school districts restrict the path to success for many special education students, especially in the case of virtual charter schools.
Cascade Policy Institute — August 17,2010
by Ben Shelton
Proposed Charges Stifle Growth
It’s fair to say growth should pay for itself. Yet, Portland city planners seem more and more willing to curtail development before it even begins.
Next year the city plans to impose two new transportation overlay charges in the Portland State University and Central Eastside districts. These new impact fees, which will be in addition to citywide transportation fees, will effectively double the transportation charges for development.
Karla Kay Edwards — August 17,2010
Biomass: Boon or Boondoggle?
Download the PDF
by Karla Kay Edwards
As Oregon communities struggle through this recession, they are looking for an economic “silver bullet” to help them survive and to become a foundation for future economic prosperity. Renewable energy has been thought to be one of those “silver bullets,” due to Oregon’s Renewable Portfolio mandate and the vast amount of government funds devoted to these energy technologies. With Oregon’s expansive forestlands, woody biomass, at first glance, seems to present an opportunity both to put more people to work in rural communities and to provide a renewable energy source.
Cascade Policy Institute — August 16,2010
U-Choose has scheduled another great issues forum you will not want to miss! Come here our own Christina Martin speak!
Public Education- Cost, Quality, and Teachers Unions
Thursday August 19, 6:30PM- 9:00PM
Crowne Plaza
14811 Kruse Oaks Blvd.
Lake Oswego, OR 97035
Bring a friend (and students) and get informed and up to date on this issue, voice your opinion and mobilize!
Speakers:
Bill Sizemore, Oregon Taxpayers United, Bill@OTU.org, www.BillSizemore.com, will address the Oregon Education Association, their “strong arm” tactics and the real motivation for demands to increase funding for Oregon public schools!
Christina Martin, Cascade Policy Institute, Christina@cascadepolicy.org, www.cascadepolicy.org, will address the cost and quality of public schools and how your tax dollars are being spent and what students are and aren’t learning!
To view the flyer, click below.
Steve Buckstein — August 13,2010
Lemonade Stand Lessons
by Steve Buckstein
In this persistent recession, it’s supposed to be all about jobs…jobs…jobs. But now, thanks to the budding entrepreneurial efforts of one seven-year-old girl, many people in the Portland metro area are focused not so much on jobs as they are on the limits of state power to restrict business activity.
It all came down on July 29 when an Oregon City mother, Maria, and her daughter Julie set up a lemonade stand at the “Last Thursday” monthly art fair in Northeast Portland. Julie wanted to earn some summer spending money, and her mother realized that setting up at the busy art fair rather than in front of their home in Oregon City meant many more potential customers for her “little capitalist” (my term, not theirs).
