An independent panel of judges selected the ten finalists for the 1996 Oregon Better Government Competition last week. Among the finalists are a former professor, "semi-retired housewife", business owner, farmer, and public employees.

Organized by Cascade Policy Institute in Portland, and endorsed by Governor Kitzhaber, the 1996 Competition focuses on regulatory and welfare reform to foster greater personal independence and self-reliance. In particular it seeks to increase economic opportunities and promote a stronger charitable sector. Oregonians submitted over 200 ideas to the Competition.

"The finalists' ideas have pathbreaking potential in terms of improving Oregon government. That's the point of the Competition: to tap into the vast reservoir of citizen creativity," states Cascade program director Kurt T. Weber. "Undoubtedly the ideas will cause us to rethink the way we approach issues, and how we solve them."

Finalists have two months to develop their formal proposals. Finalists who complete their reports will be honored at an October awards ceremony, and will have their proposals published and distributed statewide to elected officials, the media and community leaders.

Two winning proposals from the 1994 Competition were passed into legislation, Weber notes. "However, though we hope for similar immediate results this time," he says, "we take the long-term view concerning implementation." The winning ideas' impact goes beyond Oregon; the Institute still receives requests from across the country for the previous winners' reports.

The 1996 finalists' will develop proposals on a fieldtrip program for low-income children; land-use reform to permit broader on-site food processing; privatizing some DMV functions; deregulating Portland's taxi industry; and Medicaid reforms. Finalists will also explore regulatory barriers to home businesses; personal economic security accounts; the gradual transference of education responsibilities to the private sector; and barriers to employment among welfare recipients.

Cascade Policy Institute, organizer of the Competition, is an independent, non-profit public policy research organization. The Institute develops voluntary, market-oriented solutions to Oregon's economic and social problems.

Cascade is funded entirely by voluntary contributions; it neither solicits nor accepts government funding.