A new tool for helping the poor is proving effective around the world. Microfinance institutions provide small loans and other financial services to low income individuals who are considered unbankable by traditional lending standards, usually because they do not have the collateral to secure a loan from a bank.

These nongovernmental organizations are . . . Read more!

In 2003, Portland and Multnomah County politicians cried crisis and pushed a new three-year “temporary” county income tax, mainly to benefit education. This November, county voters, most of them city residents, will have the opportunity to recall the remaining two years of the income tax. The free-spending politicians who cried crisis have given voters good reasons to do so.

In 2003, the county hired a new . . . Read more!

Many public school supporters blame poor academic results on stingy taxpayers. On July 8, more evidence was released showing that funding is not the problem. Arthur Academy, a public charter school in the David Douglas School District near Portland, just announced amazing achievement results.

In business just two years, Arthur Academy saw . . . Read more!

On Thursday, July 8, a Metro committee will finalize the funding plan for TriMet’s $494 million “South Corridor” light rail expansion project. It will run to Clackamas County and through the Portland bus mall. The committee is counting on Portland State University to contribute approximately $5 million.

Unfortunately, putting light rail on the . . . Read more!