If you’re a Multnomah County homeowner, business owner, or have a retirement account, watch out for the May election. There’s a measure on the ballot that’s coming after you. Measure 26-238 imposes a capital gains tax on Multnomah County residents. If you sell your home, you will pay the tax on the increased value since […]
Elected officials across the state are scrambling to do something to reduce homelessness in Oregon. In March, the Oregon Legislature fast-tracked $200 million in spending to address housing and homelessness. The City of Portland is fumbling around to find space for sanctioned homeless camp sites. Multnomah County is considering buying a 241-room hotel to house […]
Oregon’s economic engine is losing steam. For the second year in a row, Multnomah County lost population. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the county now has 21,000 fewer people than in 2020. In contrast, Clark County, Washington added more than 11,000 in population. It’s not an accident and it’s not a mystery. Over that time, […]
In about 18 months, Portland-area drivers will be paying the first of many tolls if the Oregon Department of Transportation has its way. By the end of 2024, ODOT plans to toll both the Abernethy Bridge and the Tualatin River Bridges on I-205. Tolls could be as high as $2.20 each way on each bridge, […]
Last week’s snowstorm was more than a snow-pocalypse, it was a dystopian scene of the decline of Portland civil society. The storm snuck up on all of us. Because it came so quickly and so hard, many drivers had to abandon their vehicles on the side of the road. In response, the City of Portland […]
A new report published by Cascade Policy Institute finds that school choice programs such as vouchers and education savings accounts can improve public school quality. The report, “Decades of Research Finds Voucher Programs Are Associated with Improved Public School Quality” reviews more than 20 years of research evaluating the relationship between school choice programs and […]
If the Oregon Department of Transportation has its way, Portland-area freeways won’t be free for much longer. Tolling is coming to Oregon, and it’s coming in about two years. ODOT’s current plan is to toll all lanes of I-5 and I-205 from just south of Wilsonville to all the way across the Columbia River. If […]
Portland is a world leader in magical thinking on climate change. Last Wednesday, we saw the City Council wave its magic wand yet again, when it considered banning petroleum diesel in Portland by 2030. Only so-called renewable diesel will be available within the city limits. City staffers and proponents of the ban are confident the […]
This week, ballots for the November election will be mailed to Oregon voters. It’s become clear that no one is happy with the status quo in Oregon, and Portland in particular. Voters are clamoring for change. But, what kind of change? For people who want to see a change, you can put them into two […]
In just a few weeks, Oregon voters will be getting their ballots in the mail. In addition to voting for a new governor, legislators, and members of Congress, Oregonians will face several ballot measures. There are always a bunch of bad ones, and Measure 113 is one of the worst. Measure 113 amends the state […]