Insurance

Ballot measures could be pitfalls for candidates;

June 28, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Governor hopefuls may face backlash for taking a stand </h3><p class="source">The San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>The clean money measure, which qualified for the ballot Monday, calls for voluntary public funding of all statewide and legislative races, paid for by a $200 million-a-year boost in the state corporate tax rate. It limits corporate, union and individual contributions to candidates to $500 for legislative candidates and $1,000 for statewide candidates. It also will provide matching money for candidates who face an opponent who doesn't agree to accept public funding or who puts his own money into the campaign. </p>

Telecom bill opposition fades;

June 28, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Cable TV operators approve amendments on competition</h3><p class="source">THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE</p> <p>Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said one amendment he supports is a plan to put the state's Public Utility Commission in charge of issuing the new state franchises. Court said, however, that giving cable companies the right to tear up existing contracts is a bad idea. "This basically robs control from more than 500 local franchises," he said. "It creates a problem that wasn't there before."</p>

Cities May Lose Hold on Cable;

June 28, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>A compromise on a bill to let phone giants offer pay-TV service would strip California localities of most of their power over the cable industry.</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Opponents argued that eliminating much of the local control over television franchises would leave customers unprotected. "It's a complete bailout for cable companies and AT&T to ramrod a bill that has no controls on either industry," said Jamie Court president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights based in Santa Monica.</p>

Legally Corrupt

June 28, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Don't expect Phil or Arnold to rush to endorse the clean-money initiative</h3><p class="source">LA Weekly</p> <p>Phil Angelides has said he supports public financing of elections. Now he, and the rest of the California Democratic Party, have a chance to put their mouth where their money has been. The California Nurses Association, working with the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, has formally qualified a clean-money ballot initiative for the November election.</p>

Public campaign financing initiative makes ballot

June 27, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Associated Press</p> <p>The nurses' initiative would authorize public financing for candidates for governor, the Legislature and other state offices who collect a certain number of signatures and $5 contributions. They also must agree not to take private donations beyond some initial money to organize their campaigns.</p>

Bad deal for cable customers;

June 25, 2006  ·  Jamie Court

<h3>AT&T, Assembly Dems bill's winners</h3><p class="source">San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>AT&T is spending tens of millions of dollars on advertising, lobbying and campaign contributions in California to bring what it claims is more choice and greater competition to the cable television industry. That's half right. There would be more choices. But not for you and me, just for AT&T.</p>

State leader pay to rise 18%:

June 24, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Panel OKs the first salary increases for top elected officials in six years.</h3><p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said, "It's not like any of these characters really need the money. I think it's a slap in the face to voters."</p>

Passing marks for California stem cell agency in first annual audit;

June 22, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Some concerns voiced, however, on future oversight</h3><p class="source">THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE</p> <p>ohn Simpson, stem cell project director for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a nonprofit group in Santa Monica, said the documents issue "raises some really troublesome questions" about how the stem cell agency views its responsibilities as a public entity. "What they would have us believe is that they are operating within the general practices of all state agencies. But state agencies don't hire auditors that stiff the controller's office," Simpson said.</p>

Panel Told to Rev Up Pump Price Inquiry;

June 16, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Schwarzenegger orders regulators to accelerate an investigation into a recent 'unique spike' in the state's fuel market.</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>"You cannot find out if there's price gouging, unless there is a law against price gouging, and there's none except during states of emergency," said Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica. "The governor just wants to appear tough on oil companies with the public, but until he gets behind modernization of the state's price-gouging laws, he has no stick to swing at the oil companies even if he wanted to."</p>

Policy of success for director of Marsh & McLennan in San Diego

June 6, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Diego Union-Tribune</p> <p>Industry critics say insurers are overstating the weather's impact on insurance in order to raise rates. "It's a way for the insurance companies to panic the public into spending more than they should have to pay," said Harvey Rosenfield, who heads the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica.</p>

Healthcare Costs Spur Calls for Limits on Profits;

June 2, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>State officials target insurers' use of funds as the debate turns from services to finances.</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Health insurance premiums have risen faster than inflation consistently for nearly a decade. Consumers are also being asked to pay higher deductibles and co-payments as employers struggle to maintain health benefits. "With what is being paid into the system, there is no reason why we shouldn't be able to cover everybody" if profits are minimized, said Judy Dugan, research director for the Santa Monica-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>

Assembly OKs cable franchises from state;

June 1, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Also passed is a bill limiting Valley homes in floodplains.</h3><p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, criticized the Assembly's passage of such major legislation at a late hour -- nearly 9 p.m. -- with very little debate. Debate over AB 2987 has been raging behind the scenes for weeks, but lawmakers took less than 20 minutes Wednesday to debate the bill. "The public doesn't really have anyone asking the tough questions," Court said.</p>