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Report | ConnPIRG and Citizens for Tax Justice | Financial Reform

Representation Without Taxation

Marking the second anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission case, this report takes a hard look at the lobbying activities of profitable Fortune 500 companies that exploit loopholes and distort the tax code to avoid billions of dollars in taxes.

Report | Consumer Protection

Trouble in Toyland

The 2011 Trouble in Toyland report is our 26th annual survey of toy safety. In this report, we provide safety guidelines for consumers when purchasing toys for young children and provide examples of toys currently on store shelves that may pose potential safety hazards.

Report | ConnPIRG Education Fund | Health Care

Making the Grade

This report assesses the progress that the states have made, and for the states that have begun to set up their health care exchange, evaluates them on the myriad policies and criteria that will determine whether it is ultimately successful in improving health care for consumers.

Report | Food

Apples to Twinkies

America is facing an obesity epidemic – one that’s hitting children especially hard. Childhood obesity rates have tripled over the last three decades, with one in five kids aged 6 to 11 now obese.

Report | Health Care

Building a Better Health Care Marketplace

The creation of a new health insurance exchange offers our state the chance to build a better marketplace for health care. The exchange can help individuals and small businesses by increasing competition and improving choices in the state’s insurance market. By providing better options and better information, and negotiating on behalf of its enrollees, the exchange can level the playing field for consumers.

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Media Hit | Consumer Protection

Trouble in Toyland?

Despite the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, which partially banned harmful phthalates from children’s products, ConnPIRG’s 25th annual Trouble in Toyland report, released Tuesday morning, demonstrated the continued danger posed by some toys for parents heading to the stores this holiday season.

Media Hit | Health Care

Anthem Approved for Health Rate Hikes As High As 47 Percent

The state's largest insurer has won approval to raise health premiums by as much as 47 percent for policies sold to individual buyers, the largest price hikes seen in Connecticut since the adoption of national health care reform.

Media Hit | Consumer Protection

Fisher Price Recalls 10 Million Toys

Toy manufacturer Fisher Price announced Thursday that it has recalled about 10 millions toys because they are dangerous to children.

Media Hit | Transportation

Amtrak's Ambitious, High-Speed Rail Plan Includes Hartford

Amtrak officials have unveiled their vision for true high-speed service along the Northeast Corridor, a $117 billion plan that includes service to Hartford. The proposed new high-speed service between Washington and Boston, with trains that could travel at 220 miles per hour, would require its own dedicated tracks and a new route north of New York away from the congested seacoast, said Amtrak president Joseph Boardman.

Media Hit | Consumer Protection, Food

Egg Oversight in America is Scrambled

500 million eggs, across 24 brands, are potentially infected with Salmonella enteritidis. All of these eggs were traced back to just two Iowa producers, Wright County Egg, owned by Austin “Jack” DeCoster, and Hillandale Farms, in which DeCoster is a major investor.

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Report | Consumer Protection

Tax Shell Game: What Do Tax Dodgers Cost You?

Many corporations operating in the United States funnel money through offshore tax havens in order to avoid paying billions in U.S. taxes. In fact, an independent study found that nearly two-thirds of corporations pay no taxes at all. Goldman Sachs, which received a $10 billion taxpayer bailout, managed to get their effective tax rate down to one percent by utilizing maneuvers they describe as “changes in geographic earnings mix.”

Report | Consumer Protection

Trouble in Toyland: the 24th Annual Survey of Toy Safety

The 2009 Trouble in Toyland report is the 24th 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.

Report | U.S. PIRG | Consumer Protection

Trouble In Toyland: The 24th Annual Survey Of Toy Safety

The 2009 Trouble in Toyland report is the 24th 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.

Report | Transportation

Greasing the Wheels

In the wake of the Minnesota I-35 bridge collapse there was enormous public outcry and recognition of the need to repair our crumbling infrastructure. Americans expected public officials to respond to the tragedy with a large scale effort to address the nearly 73,000 structurally deficient bridges in this country, 358 of which are in Connecticut. The findings in this report suggest that did not happen.

Report | ConnPIRG Education Fund | Financial Reform

Who Slows the Pace of Tax Reforms?

As Congress considers international tax reforms that could help pay for health insurance reform, the Administration and Congress have heard from many stakeholders.

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GET THE BEST DEAL ON HEALTH INSURANCE

Access Health CT, the new health insurance marketplace, could save you time and money.

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PROTECT YOURSELF

We've created consumer tips to help protect you from unfair bank fees, identity theft, loan rip-offs and more.

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Apples To Twinkies

Find out how government subsidies disproportionately benefit junk food over fresh fruit and vegetables.

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Wall Street Reform

Find out how Wall Street Reform protects consumers and the economy.

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