For years, Portland residents have dealt with homeless individuals parking cars and RVs along neighborhood sidewalks, bringing garbage, drug usage, and even blazing fires along with them. This illegal parking has drastically reduced the safety and cleanliness of the city. In late 2020, the City of Portland and Metro began to consider a simple solution: […]
The Oregon Transportation Commission recently decided how to allocate $412 million in discretionary federal funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The commission’s plan, though, was quickly criticized by a coalition of environmental and transportation groups. The coalition complained that the spending plan prioritizes “highways over community safety,” even though about half of the […]
According to a new survey from the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center, 71% of Oregonians are either somewhat or very concerned about hospitals having enough beds to take care of all patients requiring care. These fears aren’t unfounded—even as the pandemic comes to an end. Oregon has the fewest number of hospital beds per capita […]
Land use regulations in Oregon are adversely impacting the state’s residents and economy. A quick glance at recent news headlines reveals as much. OPB reports that the Oregon Department of Transportation cannot repair key portions of Highway 101 along the Oregon coast due to a land use regulation that prohibits the fortification of highway infrastructure […]
In December 2021, Metro, the Portland-area regional government, opened Newell Creek Canyon Nature Park, located in Oregon City, and Chehalem Ridge Nature Park, southwest of Hillsboro. Prior to the opening of the new parks, a mere 12% of Metro’s parks and nature land was open to the public. That figure has now roughly doubled. This […]
In a recent November special election, Lincoln County approved a ballot measure that imposes restrictions and bans on short-term rental housing, such as vacation rentals and Airbnbs. In some areas of unincorporated Lincoln County, existing short-term rentals will be phased out over the next five years, and permits for new rentals will no longer be […]
Over the course of more than 25 years, Metro’s parks and nature program has developed a long record of failing to serve its constituents. Since the parks and nature program launched, the Metro regional government has received close to $1 billion in funding and purchased more than 14,000 acres of land. Yet, only 12% of […]
In this summer’s Olympic Games, Oregon natives Kim Hill and Ryan Crouser showed up, pushed themselves, and earned gold medals. Those medals have meaning—to them, to their team, and to their country. You don’t get that kind of meaning with a participation trophy. It’s too bad the state’s governor and legislature seem to disagree. On […]
The Portland City Council recently passed a new ordinance that will require landlords to register all of their rental units with the city and pay a $60 yearly registration fee per unit. While regulated affordable housing will be exempt, other types of rentals, like mobile homes, will still be subject to the fee. It is […]
Last fall, Portland voters approved a new 1% tax on large retailers to help the city achieve the goals of its Climate Action Plan. This measure has had serious consequences for Portland businesses. Before the vote, proponents of the new tax described large retailers as places like Walmart or Fred Meyer. But, according to Dan […]