Energy

Utilities might take plastic

August 25, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Orange County Register</p> <p>"This puts consumers in an unwinnable bind," said Doug Heller, executive director for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, who said he thought utilities could afford to absorb processing costs because of the money card payments could save. "It just seems like a legislative stretch to hand money out to our already bloated utilities. What do they want? If we could send them blood with our payments, they'd write legislation for that too," Heller said. </p>

Should gas prices be regulated?;

August 25, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Hawaii has decided to cap the wholesale price of gasoline. Other states have debated such a move.</h3><p class="source">The Kansas City Star</p> <p>"It's very clear to us that gas prices need to be regulated. We really need to step back and recognize that, like electricity, gasoline is too vital to the economy to be left in the hands of these corporations that have been gouging us," said Doug Heller, the executive director of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Los Angeles, a consumer advocacy group.</p>

Hawaii instigates cap on gas prices

August 25, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Sacramento Bee (California)</p> <p>"I'm all for price controls to the extent that they limit profiteering," said Jamie Court, of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica. "Profiteering's the problem." His lone criticism of the Hawaii plan was using mainland prices as a baseline. "The flaw is that it assumes your baseline market is a reasonable one. There is no reasonable or sane gasoline market in the United States of America right now."</p>

Gas prices climb, but a bit slower

August 20, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Diego Union-Tribune (California)</p> <p>Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica, said California should implement a windfall profits tax. "This is price gouging by the oil companies, and not a single state politician has the guts to stand up to them," Court said. "It is a remarkable silence."</p>

After 4 years of debate, energy bill nears passage

July 29, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>While promising no immediate relief from record-high gas prices, Congress is poised to pass an energy bill that could have far-reaching implications for California.</h3><p class="source">Copley News Service</p> <p>"It's lights out for California consumers," said Doug Heller, executive director of the Santa Monica-based FTCR. "They're weakening consumer protections and they're taking away the state's right to determine whether new energy facilities are safe and appropriate."</p>

Enron OKs $1.5 billion settlement with states

July 17, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>"It's justice in name. I don't think California ratepayers will actually feel much financial relief from the settlement," said Doug Heller, executive director of the Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights.</p>

THE BIG SQUEEZE BY BIG OIL;

June 27, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>A Star consumer watchdog report</h3><p class="source">The Kansas City Star</p> <p>Clearly, free-market adjustments explain some of the decline in capacity. Inefficient small refineries, for example, were among those closed. But other forces, say some critics, were also afoot. "This is an industry rigged for profits," said Jamie Court, president of The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights. "People think it is OPEC that's the reason for high gas prices, and it just isn't so."</p>

Coffeyville plant brews oil, profits;

June 26, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Refinery once viewed as industry joke</h3><p class="source">The Kansas City Star</p> <p>Industry critics say the financial benefits of keeping supplies tight are so tempting it has become a driving force in restraining capacity. But Big Oil doesn't always get its way in closing refineries.</p>

Schwarzenegger dogged by protesters as he launches ballot initiative campaign

June 15, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Associated Press</p> <p>"The governor's war on education does nothing to help students," said Trevor Dilling. The 28-year-old student said he quit his job to return to college and was having trouble affording tuition, which has increased more than 40 percent in the past year.</p>

A Powerful Partner;

June 13, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Longtime business ally leads governor's initiative drive to rein in state spending.</h3><p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>"I think if this special election goes forward, at a $70 million cost to the public, Allan Zaremberg is going to be exhibit No. 1 of everything that is wrong with Arnold Schwarzenegger," said Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>

Governor Calls Special Election, Irking Some State Workers, Teachers

June 13, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">City News Service</p> <p>Harvey Rosenfield, founder of the Santa Monica-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, has called for new legislation barring the governor from calling a special election unless there is a state emergency and legislative approval.</p>

Governor assailed over special election;

June 13, 2005  ·  Harvey Rosenfield

<h3>Critics see today's expected move as a misuse of state's initiative process</h3><p class="source">The San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>"Never before, to our knowledge, has a sitting governor invoked his constitutional authority to call a special election when the only purpose of the election is the enactment of his own ballot measures," said Harvey Rosenfield, the founder and former president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, who spearheaded Proposition 103 in 1988 to roll back auto insurance rates.</p>