Initiative backers must come forward, panel says
by Mark Walker, San Diego Union Tribune
People who pay for petition drives in support of statewide ballot measures can no longer hide their identity, thanks to a regulation adopted by the Fair Political Practices Commission. Read More ›
Blue Shield of California seeks rate hikes up to 20%
by Chad Terhune, Los Angeles Times
In filings with state regulators, Blue Shield is seeking an average rate increase of 12% for more than 300,000 customers. Consumer advocates say the firm should use its reserves to hold down rates. Read More ›
New studies find chemicals in furniture hard to avoid
by Stephanie M. Lee, San Francisco Chronicle
Gov. Jerry Brown wants to reduce toxic flame retardant chemicals permitted in furniture, but experts say damage has been done nationwide. Read More ›
Google ruling shows need for do not track and strong antitrust action
by John Simpson, Consumer Watchdog
A federal judge’s ruling in a key privacy case demonstrates the need to implement tough Do Not Track rules and to take decisive action on the antitrust front against Google. Read More ›
Homeland Security wants to more than double its Predator drone fleet inside the US, despite safety and privacy concerns
by Trevor Timm, Electronic Frontier Foundation
They say the drones are vital in the fight to stop illegal immigrants, but the DHS Inspector General issued a report faulting DHS for wasting time, money, and resources using drones that were ineffective and lacked oversight. Read More ›
A consumer injustice: Arbitration agreements only protect big business
by Carey Been, Justice News Flash
The days of facing your opponent in a court of law to settle disputes are rapidly fading, especially if you are a consumer. For consumers, a barely noticeable clause may be trading your right to a day in court for forced arbitration when disputing a matter with a company, because you were given no choice when you signed or were given the contract for their services, says Carey Been, an Los Angeles consumer protection attorney. Read More ›
Microsoft sued over false advertising of surface storage space
by Michelle Jones, ValueWalk
Microsoft faces a lawsuit filed by a California lawyer over claims about the company’s new Surface tablet. Court papers say the tablet was advertised as having 32 GB of storage space, but it had only 16 GB left after the operating system and all the apps for Microsoft Office were installed. The papers request that the suit be given class-action status. Read More ›
Prop 33 DEFEATED: Voters say No to billionaire’s money grab
by Richard Holober, Consumer Federation of California, CNBC.com
The defeat of Prop 33 sends a loud message that Californians are not easily hoodwinked into supporting corporate self-enrichment schemes, no matter how much is spent to mislead voters. Read More ›
VICTORY: Election day successful for California consumers!
Each one of Consumer Federation of California’s ballot measure recommendations won on election night. The winners are California consumers! Yes on Prop 30: Restores Education Funding Governor Jerry Brown declared victory after his tax initiative seized a narrow lead Tuesday night, calling Proposition 30 a “unifying force” … Read More ›
Big win for schools as Prop 30 defies polls
by Kathryn Baron and John Fensterwald, EdSource
California schools’ rendezvous with rock bottom is over. A massive grassroots campaign, an eleventh hour surge in advertising and strategic targeting of likely voters pulled Proposition 30 over the halfway mark yesterday, giving both Gov. Jerry Brown and California public schools and community colleges a victory. Read More ›
Prop 33 hurts consumers – 40 newspaper editorials say vote NO
by Richard Holober, Consumer Federation of California, Sacramento Bee
Forty newspaper editorial boards … decry Prop 33 as an abuse of the ballot by a billionaire to benefit his company at the expense of millions of consumers. They warn that Prop 33’s premium rate increases would make insurance less affordable, resulting in more uninsured motorists on our roads. Read More ›
College students speak out: No on Prop 33
by Richard Holober, Consumer Federation of California, Herald Online
Leading college student newspaper editorials urge a NO vote on Proposition 33, a measure that threatens graduates with massive auto insurance rate surcharges. Read More ›
Prop 33 billionaire admits his company doesn’t give promised discounts
by Richard Holober, California Progress Report
In a stunning admission, billionaire George Joseph stated that his company, Mercury Insurance, does not offer its own customers the “persistence discount” that Proposition 33 promises all Californians would receive by “shopping their discount” around if the initiative is approved. Read More ›