In 2000, the electricity grid was named the top engineering achievement of the 20th century by the National Academy of Engineering. In 2021, Oregon politicians decided to dismantle it. Prepare yourself for blackouts. State legislators passed a law two years ago (House Bill 2021) that prohibits the construction of any electricity generating facilities using fossil […]
A long-standing question about taxpayer-funded school choice programs like vouchers, education tax credits, and Education Scholarship Accounts is whether such programs would cause tuition to rise at private elementary and high schools. A new study by the Heritage Foundation shows that school choice programs have kept elementary school costs from increasing in their states and […]
A June 2023 RealClear Opinion Research survey of registered voters shows public support for school choice has increased seven points since 2020. Seventy-one percent of voters—up from 64% three years ago—say parents should “have the right to use tax dollars designated for their child’s education to send their child to the public or private school […]
For over 40 years, Oregon has outlawed the construction of nuclear power plants within its borders. The policy was first proposed to voters as Ballot Measure 7 in 1980, just one year after the partial meltdown at Three Mile Island. While the scare caused no deaths or injuries, many saw it as a reason to […]
Metro is the regional government of the greater Portland region. It is tasked with managing regional issues like transportation, land use, and public parks. Metro’s Regional Mobility Policy guides the region’s transportation investments toward its goals—directing investments in roads, bridges, bike lanes, light rail, and more. One of Metro’s proposed policies for 2023 is the […]
Two weeks ago, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler announced plans to give a 2.6% tax break to businesses threatening to leave Portland. This is a win for businesses and could encourage some to stay. But it may be too little, too late. Even after the worst of the pandemic, hundreds of businesses moved their headquarters out […]
Three states recently expanded education options for K-12 students through school choice laws. States that are empowering families to find the right fit for their children’s educational needs are opening doors of opportunity for generations of students. In May, Nebraska passed the Opportunity Scholarship Act. The tax credit-funded program provides opportunities for children to attend […]
“3000 SE Powell Boulevard” is the name of Home Forward’s 6-year-old low-income housing development with a massive expenditure: $87 million, $75 million of which came from government tax credits and bond monies. Burdened by building height and design constraints, soil contamination worries, and delayed materials delivery, the expected opening date has been pushed back to […]
Over the next four weeks, the Oregon legislature will decide whether to make a down payment of $1 billion to replace the I-5 Interstate Bridge connecting Portland with Vancouver. The total cost of the bridge is unknown, but is estimated to be around $6 billion. The legislature should reject this allocation, and shut down planning […]
In 2015, representatives from Portland Public Schools (PPS) gave a presentation to the Portland City Council on discipline issues at the state’s largest school district. The presentation provided data showing that minority students were suspended and expelled at higher rates than other students. Instead of examining why this gap existed, PPS simply pledged to reduce […]
