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News Release | Florida PIRG | Tax

Senator Carl Levin Introduces Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act

Statement of Florida PIRG Federal Legislative Office Director Gary Kalman on the introduction of the Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act.

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News Release | Florida PIRG | Budget

House Committee Approves Cut to Agriculture Subsidies

Statement of Florida PIRG Public Health Advocate Elizabeth Hitchcock on the House Appropriations Committee’s vote to approve an amendment to the 2012 Agriculture appropriations bill  to limit agriculture subsidies called direct payments to farmers with adjusted gross incomes lower than $250,000.

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Report | Florida PIRG Education Fund | Financial Reform

The Tax Shell Game

Tax havens are countries with minimal or no taxes, to which U.S.-based multinational firms or individuals transfer their earnings to avoid paying taxes in the United States. Users of tax havens benefit from access to America’s markets, workforce, infrastructure and security, but pay little or nothing for it—violating the basic fairness of the tax system.

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News Release | Florida PIRG | Tax

Off-Shore Tax Havens Cost FL Taxpayers Over $4 Billion a Year

Major corporations and some individuals avoid a total of as much as $100 billion a year in federal taxes by “off-shoring” the profits they make here in the U.S. or by setting up sham headquarters in tax haven countries. As a result, Florida taxpayers are left footing the bill.

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News Release | Florida PIRG | Consumer Protection

New Survey Shows Banks Still Hiding Fees from Consumers

A survey of more than 350 bank branches released today by the Florida Public Interest Research Group revealed that fewer than half of branches obeyed their legal duty to fully disclose fees to prospective customers, while one in four provided no fee information at all.

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News Release | Florida PIRG | Budget

National Report: Florida Ranks Low in Transparency Over Spending of Recovery Funds

A report released today shows that many states are making dramatic improvements in websites designed to disseminate information about their share of the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), while others have failed to make vital information available.

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News Release | Florida PIRG | Financial Reform

House Stands With Consumers Against Big Banks

The new financial reform legislation passed by the House of Representatives on Friday is an important step towards protecting consumers and taxpayers from reckless financial practices, according to Florida Public Interest Research Group, a national consumer organization.

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News Release | Florida PIRG | Transportation

Transportation 'wish lists' should include more repairs and fewer pet projects

Statement of  Florida PIRG on the 9,500 transportation projects included in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Official’s survey of “Ready to Go” projects released today in an appeal for more transportation funding in a potential jobs bill.

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News Release | Florida PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Parents Beware - Many Toys Still Toxic, Hazardous

Dangerous or toxic toys can still be found on America’s store shelves, Florida Public Interest Research Group announced on Tuesday in its 24th annual Trouble in Toyland report.

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News Release | Florida PIRG | Financial Reform

Consumer Financial Protection Agency Passes Key Committee

Today, the U.S. House Financial Services Committee approved landmark reform legislation establishing a proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency, despite “often blatantly false attacks from industry opponents.” Although several exceptions to the agency’s coverage must still be addressed on the House floor or in the Senate, overall, the CFPA bill as passed creates an independent agency with broad authority to protect consumers in the financial marketplace.

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Report | U.S. PIRG Education Fund | Financial Reform

Tax Shell Game

Many of the largest corporations in our country hide profits made in the United States in offshore shell companies and sham headquarters in order to avoid paying billions in federal taxes. The result is massive losses in revenue for the U.S. Treasury – which ultimately must be made up by taxpayers. The debt of a few is transferred to many – and to future generations. The U.S. Senate confirmed in the recently-passed fiscal year 2010 budget resolution that the use of offshore tax havens by large corporations “means that honest taxpayers face a higher burden.”

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Report | Florida PIRG Education Fund | Safe Energy

The High Cost of Nuclear Power

Renewable energy sources can produce far more electricity than nuclear plants for less money, according to the new Florida PIRG report.

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Report | Florida PIRG Education Fund | Health Care

Health Care In Crisis

Our health care system is in crisis. Without swift action, that crisis could threaten every Florida family’s health and finances. Unless the new Congress and Administration act to reduce health care costs, the yearly cost of the average employer-paid family health policy in Florida is projected to more than double from $11,046 in 2006 to $22,376 by 2016 even after adjusting for inflation.

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Report | Florida PIRG Education Fund | Transportation

Economic Stimulus or Simply More Misguided Spending?

President-elect Obama has declared that the next recovery plan must do more than just pump money into the economy. It will also create the infrastructure that America needs for the 21st century.

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Report | Florida PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Trouble in Toyland, 23rd Annual Toy Safety Report

The 2008 Trouble in Toyland report is the 23rd annual Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) survey of toy safety. This report provides safety guidelines for parents when purchasing toys for small children and provides examples of toys currently on store shelves that may pose potential safety hazards. We visited numerous toy stores and other retailers to find potentially dangerous toys and identify trends in toy safety. This year, we focused specifically on toys that contain lead and phthalates in our research. 

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Tools & Resources

  • FIGHT HIGH Rx Costs
    Prescription drugs cost too much. Brand-name drug companies have been paying off generic drug makers to delay competition and keep prices high, and it's costing us billions. Together, we can stop them.
    Learn more
    TAKE ACTION
  • STOP TAX DODGERS
    Corporate tax avoidance cost taxpayers $100 billion last year. We're working to close the loopholes that allow companies to avoid paying the taxes they owe.
    Learn more
    Take Action
  • YOUR TAX DOLLARS BECOME CORN SYRUP
    At a time when one-in-three kids is overweight or obese, over a billion taxpayer dollars go to high-fructose corn syrup and junk food ingredients.
    Learn more
    Take Action
  • Reclaim Democracy
    The Supreme Court's Citizens United decision ushered in an era of unprecedented spending by big money in our elections, but we're working to return our democracy back to the principle of "one person, one vote."
    Learn more

PRIORITY ACTION

Some of the nation’s best-known companies — including GE, Google and Goldman Sachs — have avoided paying the taxes they owe, costing us $100 billion last year.

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