A great champion of human liberty passed away on November 16th at the age of 94. Milton Friedman won the Nobel Prize in economics in 1976, but to those of us who had the priviledge to know him, and to countless others, he will be remembered even more for his passionate devotion to individual freedom.

Milton’s devoted wife Rose grew up in Portland and attended Reed College before . . . Read more!

One result of last week’s election is that we may finally achieve tax simplification in this country. An old joke on this subject goes like this: Did you hear about the new federal income tax proposal? It’s a two-line form to replace the 1040. The first line reads, “How much did you earn last year?” The second line reads, “Send it in.”

With the new Democrat majority in Congress vowing to repeal the Bush tax cuts, and Democrats in Oregon looking for ways to raise revenue, it’s time to remember what effect taxes have on the economy. . . . Read more!

Summary

In his 2006 Action Plan for Energy, Governor Ted Kulongoski says he wants Oregon to meet 25% of its energy needs with renewable energy by 2025. However, alternative energy technologies are not yet viable on the market and should succeed or fail on their own merits, not because government officials and lobbyists favor them. . . . Read more!

The most recent downtown employer survey by the Portland Business Alliance contains important news for taxpayers. It shows that light rail’s market share for downtown commuters dropped by 30% over the past five years. Considering that TriMet actually opened two new rail lines during that period, this is a stunning decline in ridership.

In 2001, 20% of downtown employees traveled to work by light rail. By 2005 that had dropped to . . . Read more!

Summary

While instrumental in maintaining some degree of stability for lower-income persons, the traditional welfare system was not designed to promote inclusion or self-sufficiency. In contrast, building assets allows those once marginalized to become self-sufficient and provides hope for the future. . . . Read more!