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News Release | CALPIRG | Budget

New Legislation Introduced to Close Offshore Tax Loopholes

Statement of CALPIRG Field Director on the introduction of the Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act by Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) and 45 original cosponsors, including eight members from the California delegation. Among other provisions, this legislation would close a number of loopholes that let corporations and wealthy individuals shift income to offshore tax havens to avoid paying taxes.

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News Release | CALPIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Doing Your Taxes: CALPIRG answers consumers' questions

CALPIRG Education Fund provides an online Questions & Answer guide to paying federal and state taxes.

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Media Hit | Democracy

L.A.'s Prop C a step toward reforming elections: Editorial

For voters who are sickened by modern big-money politics, next month's Los Angeles city ballot contains a potential antidote.  It's a chance for Angelenos to get behind one aspect of much-needed election reform by striking back against U.S. Supreme Court rulings that have removed limits on campaign spending by corporations, labor unions and shadowy interest groups.

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Blog Post | Consumer Protection, Democracy

Coming together, pushing back | Jon Fox

 

Observations from the annual National Conference on Media Reform.

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News Release | CALPIRG | Budget

Offshore Tax Havens Cost Average California Taxpayer $1,265 a Year, California Small Business $3,524

With Tax Day approaching, it’s a good time to be reminded of where our tax dollars are going.   CALPIRG released a new study which revealed that the average California taxpayer in 2012 would have to shoulder an extra $1265 in taxes to make up for the revenue lost due to the use of offshore tax havens by corporations and wealthy individuals.

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News Release | CALPIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Doing Your Taxes: CALPIRG answers consumers' questions

CALPIRG Education Fund provides an online Questions & Answer guide to paying federal and state taxes.

> Keep Reading
Media Hit | Democracy

L.A.'s Prop C a step toward reforming elections: Editorial

For voters who are sickened by modern big-money politics, next month's Los Angeles city ballot contains a potential antidote.  It's a chance for Angelenos to get behind one aspect of much-needed election reform by striking back against U.S. Supreme Court rulings that have removed limits on campaign spending by corporations, labor unions and shadowy interest groups.

> Keep Reading
News Release | CALPIRG | Budget

Offshore Tax Havens Cost Average California Taxpayer $1,265 a Year, California Small Business $3,524

With Tax Day approaching, it’s a good time to be reminded of where our tax dollars are going.   CALPIRG released a new study which revealed that the average California taxpayer in 2012 would have to shoulder an extra $1265 in taxes to make up for the revenue lost due to the use of offshore tax havens by corporations and wealthy individuals.

> Keep Reading
Media Hit | Democracy

Huffman calls for constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United ruling

A constitutional amendment to restore campaign finance laws voided by the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision topped the wish list of panelists at a forum Thursday on election reform hosted by freshman Congressman Jared Huffman.

"Amending the Constitution to overturn Citizens United may well be one of the most important issues of our time," Huffman, D-San Rafael, said at the forum at Dominican University in San Rafael. He encouraged attendees in the meantime, however, to look for additional approaches for making elections fairer and voting more accessible.

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News Release | CALPIRG | Democracy

Rally Outside City Hall Calls for Constitutional Amendment

Los Angeles, CA- Angelinos gathered outside City Hall today in support of Proposition C, a ballot measure that would instruct Congress to overturn the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision. 

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Report | CALPIRG Education Fund | Financial Reform

Big Banks Bigger Fees 2012

A survey of hundreds of banks and credit unions in 24 states and the District of Columbia found that free checking remains available at more than 6 out of 10 small banks and credit unions but was only found at one-quarter of surveyed big banks (those with over $10 billion in deposits). The survey released today by the California Public Interest Research Group also revealed that fewer than half of branches surveyed obeyed their legal duty to fully disclose fees to prospective customers on the first request, while 12% provided no fee information at all. 

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Report | CALPIRG | Democracy

Million-Dollar Megaphones

New report details latest numbers on outside spending, secret money and Super PAC fundraising for 2012 elections.

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Report | CALPIRG Education Fund | Food, Tax

Apples to Twinkies 2012

At a time when America is facing an obesity epidemic, crushing debt and a weak economy, billions of taxpayer dollars are subsidizing junk food ingredients.

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Report | CALPIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection, Health Care

Your Price May Vary

New report finds that the price charged for common surgeries varies dramatically from one region to another within California.

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Report | CALPIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Still @ Risk

New Report on technology & identity theft shows that California victims lost more money in identity theft cases Investigated in 2011 than in previous year.

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Blog Post | Democracy

In The Capitol: Removing Barriers To Voting | Pedro Morillas

AB 1436—Establishes an election day registration system in California.

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Blog Post | Budget

In The Capitol: Privatization Safeguards | Pedro Morillas

SB 1303 (Simitian)—Provides clear guidelines and safeguards for the growing use of outsourced “red light cameras” for traffic enforcement.

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Blog Post | Democracy

In The Capitol: Getting Money Out Of Politics | Pedro Morillas

SB 1426 (Blakeslee)—Bans specified gifts from lobbyist employers to legislators.

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Blog Post | Budget

In The Capitol: Holding Corporations Accountable | Pedro Morillas

AB 2439 (Eng)—Requires the 1500 largest publicly traded corporate taxpayers in California to disclose the amount they pay in taxes to the state.

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Blog Post | Consumer Protection

California AG Launches New Privacy Enforcement and Protection Unit | Jon Fox

CALPIRG applauds the creation of the Privacy Enforcement and Protection Unit in the Department of Justice.

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Tools & Resources

  • 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
  • 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
  • FIGHTING UNJUSTIFIED PREMIUM HIKES
    It’s time for health insurers to get serious about lowering the cost of care instead of raising deductibles and hiking premiums.
    Learn More
  • 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
    ADD YOUR VOICE

You Can Help

We have a chance to cut billions in junk food subsidies this year. Your support will help us do the research, advocacy and grassroots organizing to convince our elected officials to act.

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PRIORITY ACTION

Each year, our tax dollars pay for enough junk food additives to buy 8.5 two-liter bottles of soda for each person under 18. Help stop the subsidies for junk food.

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Consumer Alerts

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