Energy

Inaugural to keep governor busy;

December 30, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Stars and donors with state business ponied up $1.35 million so far.</h3><p class="source">Sacramento Bee (California)</p> <p>On Friday, four more "Gold Sponsors," or those who have given at least $50,000, were added to the list of top contributors. That number is now at nine. "It's just a who's who of corporate interests that will be looking for help from the governor over the course of the next year," said Doug Heller, executive director of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>

Pinch at the pump worst in 25 years;

December 27, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>State motorists paid an average of $2.81 a gallon this year. 2007 may not bring much relief.</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>The California Energy Commission said motorists through Monday had paid $2.808 on average this year for a gallon of self-serve regular. That's an increase of 6.5% from the previous record of $2.636, set during the energy crisis of 1981, when prices are adjusted for inflation.</p>

RUNNERS’ TRIP TO BRAZIL A JUNKET?;

December 27, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>LAWMAKER DUO SAYS IT'S WORK</h3><p class="source">The Daily News of Los Angeles</p> <p>The Santa Monica-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights obtained itineries and other records about the South America trip through a California Public Records Act request. "The average citizen will never be on an even playing field with powerful business interests that spend tens of thousands of dollars wining and dining and vacationing with government officials like this,'' Heller said.</p>

Consumer group likens South America trip to Abramoff junkets

December 22, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Associated Press</p> <p>The Santa Monica-based consumer group FTCR obtained itineraries and other records about the South America trip through a California Public Records Act request. "The average citizen will never be on an even playing field with powerful business interests that spend tens of thousands of dollars wining and dining and vacationing with government officials like this," Doug Heller with FTCR said. "There should be a bright line that prohibits officials from taking international trips paid by private interest groups."</p>

O.C. firms fund governor’s galas;

December 19, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Adams Steel, Irvine Co. and three others donate at least $110,000 for the January inaugural events.</h3><p class="source">The Orange County Register (California)</p> <p>Carmen Balber, a consumer advocate with the Santa Monica-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said donors are paying for access to the governor as he establishes his agenda for next year. "This is simply another way for companies and associations who want special access to the governor to gain it," Balber said. "The 'Gold Sponsors' gave more than they're allowed to give the governor in any election year. They bought themselves additional access and influence that they wouldn't otherwise have."</p>

Perks of fundraising?

December 4, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Many Bay Area Assembly members who gave big bucks to Dems get choice assignments</h3><p class="source">The San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>"These are all races where they didn't have any real opposition," said Doug Heller, executive director of the nonpartisan Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights. Those redirected campaign contributions, from banks, casinos, unions and the like, are "all about special-interest money and trying to gain influence,'' he said.</p>

AP Analysis: Firms Crimping Oil Supplies

November 26, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Associated Press</p> <p>Skeptics like U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., got more vocal. They began to suspect that Shell wanted to shut the refinery to sell pricier gas from its bigger refineries elsewhere in the region. By taking a hit at Bakersfield, maybe Shell could come out ahead. "They were trying to squeeze the market in every possible way," Wyden insists.</p>

Assembly speaker receives $4 million donation from state party

November 17, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Associated Press</p> <p>A spokeswoman for one watchdog group questioned whether the arrangement was legal, since the source of the funds could be companies or individuals that already contributed the maximum allowable amount to Nunez. "It's money laundering and they are contributions the speaker should return," said Carmen Balber of the nonprofit Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, which has disagreed with Nunez over fundraising issues in the past.</p>

Gas prices drifting back up after a nice slide;

November 13, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Bay Area drivers see up to 5-cent increase; critics suspicious of pre-election declines</h3><p class="source">THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE</p> <p>The timing strikes many oil industry critics as suspicious. For months, they have argued that this autumn's dramatic price drop was a political ploy designed to help oil-friendly Republicans in the midterm elections. They predicted that prices would rise once the ballots were counted. "Let's just say we're not surprised," said Judy Dugan, research director for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>

Highway funding shortchanged — Loophole enhances ‘hot fuel’ profits

November 12, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>IRS measuring rule allows oil industry to manipulate gasoline and diesel taxes.</h3><p class="source">The Kansas City Star</p> <p>Hundreds of millions of dollars in fuel taxes paid by American drivers aren't going to the government, but instead into the pockets of gas and diesel retailers. The practice, dubbed "hot fuel," was exposed by The Kansas City Star in August. The newspaper reported that fuel was often sold at temperatures much hotter than the standard 60 degrees -- a standard agreed to nearly a century ago by the industry and regulators, but virtually unknown to the average consumer.</p>

Gas prices creep up after election – may have bottomed

November 10, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Sacramento Bee (California)</p> <p>The high prices earlier this year generated a combined $31.6 billion in third-quarter profits for five of the world's largest oil companies: ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, BP and Royal Dutch Shell. "There was a political motive to keep gasoline prices low," said Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica. "Now that the election's over, we're going to see prices going up. Oil companies are going to go back to artificially shorting the market."</p>

Lower pump prices fuel political conspiracy theories;

November 6, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Many Americans think the recent drop is tied to the Bush administration and GOP election hopes.</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, is one of the believers. "The public doesn't know the details, but they instinctively understand that the sudden swing in gas prices is connected to the election," said Court, whose Santa Monica group is a frequent oil industry critic. "Gas prices just don't go down that far as fast as they did. It's totally aberrant behavior for the industry."</p>