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L.A. prescription drug cost idea might expand to include Ventura

October 27, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Ventura County Star (Ventura, California)</p> <p>"That (a drug discount card) would be good," she said. "That would help older people a lot. It would help everybody." More participants would give the program more clout, which could mean better discounts and make the program more successful, said Jerry Flanagan of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, which worked with Villaraigosa on the idea.</p>

Letters Show Frist Notified Of Stocks in ‘Blind’ Trusts;

October 24, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Documents Contradict Comments on Holdings</h3><p class="source">The Washington Post</p> <p>Two watchdog organizations -- Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights -- filed complaints with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics this year charging Frist with having a conflict of interest and questioning why he sold his shares after a decade of saying he did not need to.</p>

CalPERS Urges PacifiCare-UnitedHealth to ‘Unwind’ $345 Million Exec Bonus Package in Merger

October 20, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">BestWire</p> <p>"It is obscene to allow HMO executives to feed at the trough at a time when 6.5 million Californians cannot afford health care and millions more are underinsured," Jerry Flanagan, a spokesman for the foundation, said in a statement.</p>

California farmers sow, reap governor’s support

October 20, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Stockton Record Net</p> <p>Critics smell a quid pro quo. "This is payback for the governor helping out the industry," said Jamie Court of the Foundation for Taxpayers and Consumers Rights.</p>

Health firms’ high pay plan is under fire

October 18, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Sacramento Bee (California)</p> <p>One consumer group, the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica, is counting on CalPERS' stand to pressure regulators to get concessions out of the health-care companies, as happened in the WellPoint deal. The group also called on the governor to return a $78,000 campaign contribution before his state agency acts on the merger.</p>

Another 100K, Another Veto

October 13, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">On October 7th, Arnold vetoed one of the wine industry's top targets this year. SB 455 (Escutia) was opposed by the Wine Institute because it would have strengthened pesticide regulation. On...</font>

McCain Joins Gov. to Push Ballot Measures

October 12, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>One contribution to the governor raised questions Monday. A Santa Monica-based consumer group, the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said Schwarzenegger should return a $105,000 donation he received from an insurance industry group Friday, the same day he vetoed a bill that it opposed.</p>

State needs return on investment in stem-cell studies

October 10, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">San Jose Mercury News (California)</p> <p>Voters deserve what they voted for and taxpayers deserve what they are paying for. That means that California must have a controlling share of all future stem-cell research.</p>

State needs return on investment in stem-cell studies

October 10, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">San Jose Mercury News (California)</p> <p>Voters deserve what they voted for and taxpayers deserve what they are paying for. That means that California must have a controlling share of all future stem-cell research.</p>

Measure B breakup;

October 6, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Council splits over task force that could replace controversial anti-public corruption initiative</h3><p class="source">Pasadena Weekly</p> <p>"We think Councilman Haderlein finally saw what we've been trying to get through to the council for years, which is that Measure B is pretty narrowly tailored. It's not as burdensome as they've been counseled to believe and is geared toward the most egregious situations where the public thinks the possibility of conflict is too great," said Carmen Balber, a consumer advocate with the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, which is an umbrella group over Measure B authors the Oaks Project.</p>

Save the stem cells

October 4, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Daily Californian (UC-Berkeley, CA)</p> <p>Even now, the stem-cell board that doles out funds cannot give UC Berkeley its grant because of two lawsuits questioning the legality of the board's authority, while the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights points to possible conflicts of interest.</p>

Voters savvy enough to negotiate ballot maze, experts say

October 4, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Copley News Service</p> <p>"Voters do not understand the measures they vote on in any detail and very few read the actual text," said John Matsusaka, president of the Initiative and Referendum Institute at the University of Southern California. "What they do is rely on endorsements from informed sources they trust such as interest groups, media and politicians.</p>