Energy

Treasurer urges grid investment

November 5, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Contra Costa Times (California)</p> <p>Doug Heller of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, which advocates a return to utility regulation, leavened his support for the Angelides initiative with a warning. "We're going to fight to make sure we have a regulated system."</p>

Chevron posts $1.98 billion profit

November 1, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Figure is highest since Texaco merger; 'profiteering at its worst,' group decries</h3><p class="source">Ventura County Star (California)</p> <p>"This is profiteering at its worst. It happens every summer and no one is stopping them," said Jamie Court, president of FTCR. "This is all about them limiting inventory so prices go up. There wouldn't be this profit unless there was a radical mark-up...</p>

Buyer Beware

October 27, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The New York Times</p> <p>State-rooted consumer movements are often closer to the people and have better ideas about how to protect them. Their ideas should be incorporated - not permanently barred - in federal law.</p>

Schwarzenegger preparing energy deregulation sequel

October 23, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Associated Press</p> <p>Doug Heller of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights worries that Schwarzenegger has been swayed by Ken Lay, the former Enron Corp. chief executive who pushed for California's 1996 electricity market reforms.</p>

California energy mess: the tab nobody picks up

October 20, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Christian Science Monitor (Boston, MA)</p> <p>FTCR has written the governor-elect asking for an explanation of a private May 2001 meeting with Enron chief Ken Lay and others. Schwarzenegger has said he didn't recall that session.</p>

Energy market strategy outlined Some say the new governor will wait to tackle power issues.

October 14, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Sacramento Bee</p> <p>Doug Heller with FTCR, said he believes Schwarzenegger will abandon efforts to collect $9 billion in refunds from energy generators - money the Davis administration says is owed to compensate ratepayers for overcharges.</p>

Energy policies present challenge;

October 10, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Governor-elect must carefully chart direction</h3><p class="source">San Mateo County Times (San Mateo, CA)</p> <p>Doug Heller, senior consumer advocate with the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said, "Arnold hasn't said that he wants to take these companies on and get our money back."</p>

ARNOLD’S BLACKOUT ABOUT ENRON

October 9, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Daily News (New York)</p> <p>So what was Schwarzenegger, then just another Hollywood star, doing at a private meeting with Ken Lay and all those high-powered business executives? Good question.</p>

Many trace California Governor Gray Davis’ political problems back to his handling of the electricity crisis

October 6, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">National Public Radio - All Things Considered</p> <p>HARVEY ROSENFIELD (FTCR): This recall is focused on him, but this is going to be the way that the California consumer protests the corruption of our political system that led to the energy crisis and then led to these higher electricity rates.</p>

Power Play; Consumer group’s lawsuit underscores the PUC’s shift away from what some saw as a pro-ratepayer stance

October 5, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Diego Union-Tribune</p> <p>Doug Heller, of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said there's a big difference between the PUC under Lynch and the commission under Peevey. "He is a deregulator, not a regulator."</p>

Could it be lights out?

September 28, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>If Davis tenure is short-circuited, many will look to his handling of electrical crisis.</h3><p class="source">Orange County Register (California)</p> <p>"He stood on the sidelines as opportunity after opportunity passed. He had his finger up, testing the political winds," said Doug Heller of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>

Californians will keep paying for 2001 power pacts

September 20, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Diego Union-Tribune</p> <p>The total $5.4 billion in crisis-related costs next year is "a shocking reminder of how devastating the crisis was and continues to be," said Douglas Heller of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica.</p>