Voters should reject Metro’s tax increase and land grab In approximately four weeks Portland area voters will receive their November ballots. One of the items is Measure 26-203: a $475 million bond measure by Metro, the regional government for the Portland area. Metro wants the money so it can buy more land for its so-called […]
In choosing the headline for this essay, I realized that it peripherally applied to me. I hope that I am still relevant in a world gone crazy with endless nonsense conjured up by those seeking absolute power. Revolutions purporting to establish a Utopian society to solve all perceived problems, likely solve none of them. “From […]
What if the self-proclaimed “City that Works” isn’t working? That’s what Portland residents are saying. Last week the City of Portland published its most recent survey of city residents. Nearly 90 percent of those surveyed are dissatisfied with the city’s response to homelessness and almost two-thirds are dissatisfied with traffic congestion on their daily commutes. […]
“Good in theory, bad in practice.” Sure, it’s a cliché, but it’s a cliché because so often it’s true. It looks to be especially true regarding congestion pricing in the Pacific Northwest. The Oregon Department of Transportation is pursuing plans to impose tolls on parts of Interstate 5 and Interstate 205. Portland recently announced the […]
Yes, I know that it is a little early to think about my Christmas Wish List, but I certainly could use a Time Machine of the sort envisioned by H.G. Wells in his science fiction novel and in the 1960 movie adaptation starring Rod Taylor. I’m a big fan of good science fiction that takes […]
Apparently, there is no limit to the Oregon legislature’s disdain for businesses and other employers. This disdain is demonstrated in three bills that seek to saddle employers with expensive mandates and expansive regulations that will smother job opportunities, stifle employment growth, and do little improve the everyday lives of most working Oregonians. Paid family leave […]
I’ve got a big family, which means we do a lot of laundry. With our old appliances, we were doing a load a day and there was a backlog of dirty clothes. When our old washer and dryer went kaput, we decided on an upgrade. I bought the biggest, most energy efficient washer and dryer […]
Fake news is bad, but no news is even worse. Across the world, across the country, across the state, and across our communities, we are witnessing an obliteration of local news media. In Oregon, local newspapers are struggling and shuttering while TV and radio outlets focus more and more on national news fed by wire […]
Education Savings Accounts deposit a percentage of the funds that the state would otherwise spend to educate a student in a public school into accounts associated with the student’s family. The family may use the funds to spend on private school tuition or other educational expenses. Funds remaining in the account after expenses may be […]
Modern society cannot afford the costs of giving them the power and prestige they demand An old adage says we should “gladly suffer fools.” The opposing view is that we should “stop doing stupid.” Either way, the key concern is the direct impact that not confronting stupid or shortsighted actions has on morale and the […]
