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News Release | WISPIRG Foundation | Budget

New Report: Wisconsin Receives an “F” in Annual Report on Transparency of Government Spending

Wisconsin received an “F” for government spending transparency, according to “Following the Money 2013: How the States Rank on Providing Online Access to Government Spending Data,” the fourth annual report of its kind by the WISPIRG Foundation. 
 

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Media Hit | Transportation

Is Scott Walker Killing Off Public Transit?

Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed state budget could provide the death knell for public transit systems across the state. Although he has a $419 million budget surplus that he could use to reinvest in state services, Walker is not restoring the $14 million he cut from transit in his previous budget.  Even worse, Walker’s budget makes long-term changes to the way urban bus systems and road projects are funded, which will make transit more vulnerable in the coming years. And, not surprisingly, Walker will increase the funding that goes to road building.
 

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News Release | WISPIRG Foundation | Budget

Offshore Tax Dodging Blows $814 million Hole in WI Budget:

Today WISPIRG Foundation released a new report, "The Hidden Cost of Offshore Tax Loopholes," that exposes the double impact of tax haven abuse through lost state revenue, in addition to the federal impacts. Our research estimates that Wisconsin lost $812 million in tax revenue in 2012 due to these loopholes..

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Report | WISPIRG Foundation | Budget, Tax

The Hidden Cost of Offshore Tax Havens

This report reveals how abuse of tax loopholes hurts taxpayers not just once, but twice, as the state of Wisconsin lost an estimated $814 million in revenue in 2012 due to offshore tax dodging

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News Release | WISPIRG | Transportation

Governor Walker’s Transportation Budget Pushes Back Against The Highway Lobby, But Doesn’t Go Far Enough

We applaud Governor Walker’s call for a review of major highway projects to identify unnecessary taxpayer expenditures, yet his budget simply does not go far enough in cutting unnecessary new highway projects and continues to lavish money on road builders.

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News Release | WISPIRG Foundation | Budget, Tax

First Step to Avoid the Fiscal Cliff: Close Offshore Tax Loopholes

Many corporations and wealthy individuals use offshore tax havens—countries with minimal or no taxes—to avoid paying $150 billion in U.S. taxes each year. By shielding their income from U.S. taxes, corporations and wealthy individuals shift the tax burden to ordinary Americans, who must pick up the tab in the form of cuts to public services, more debt, or higher taxes. The $150 billion lost annually to offshore tax havens is a lot of money, especially at a time of difficult budget choices. To put this sum in perspective, we present 16 potential ways that income could be used.

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News Release | WISPIRG Foundation | Consumer Protection

Survey Finds Dangerous Toys on Store Shelves

Dangerous or toxic toys can still be found on America’s store shelves, according to Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group’s [www.wispirg.org] 27th annual Trouble in Toyland report.

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News Release | WISPIRG | Tax

This Time, BP Settlement Protects Taxpayers

Unlike earlier settlements from the Gulf Oil spill, the settlement the U.S. Justice Department negotiated with BP stipulated that none of the penalties paid are tax-deductible, according to Lanny Breuer, head of the Dept. of Justice's criminal division.

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Media Hit | Consumer Protection

Free checking still widely available, report says; some banks mum on fee info

Free checking can still be found at financial institutions in Wisconsin and nationwide, but consumers are more likely to see it at smaller banks and at credit unions than at some of the biggest banks, according to a survey by Public Interest Research Groups around the country.
Free checking can still be found at financial institutions in Wisconsin and nationwide, but consumers are more likely to see it at smaller banks and at credit unions than at some of the biggest banks, according to a survey by Public Interest Research Groupsaround the country. 

Read more: http://host.madison.com/business/free-checking-still-widely-available-report-says-some-banks-mum/article_a45e708c-2f79-11e2-8638-001a4bcf887a.html#ixzz2CVvvHGyc

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News Release | WISPIRG Foundation | Consumer Protection

New Survey Shows Free Checking Widely Available At Small Banks

A survey of 26 Wisconsin banks and credit unions and 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 by the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group (WISPIRG) 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 | WISPIRG Foundation | Transportation

Transportation and the New Generation

A new report released today by the WISPIRG Foundation and the Frontier Group demonstrates that Wisconsinites, like drivers across the country, have been driving less since the middle of the last decade. The report, Transportation and the New Generation: Why Young People are Driving Less and What it Means for Transportation Policy, shows that young people in particular are decreasing the amount they drive and increasing their use of transportation alternatives.

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Report | WISPIRG | Tax

Loopholes for Sale

A new report by WISPIRG and Citizens for Tax Justice (CTJ) found that thirty unusually aggressive tax dodging corporations have made campaign contributions to 524 (98 percent) sitting members of Congress, and disproportionately to the leadership of both parties and to key committee members.

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Report | WISPIRG Foundation | Budget

Following the Money 2012

Wisconsin received a “D-” when it comes to government spending transparency, according to Following the Money 2012: How the States Rank on Providing Online Access to Government Spending Data, the third annual report of its kind by the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group (WISPIRG). 

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Report | WISPIRG | Budget

Outsourcing Outrages

State leaders have proposed to end the existing requirement for proposals that privatize public functions to show cost-benefit advantages and report on results for Department of Transportation projects over $25,000.  Privatization in other states has sometimes saved the public money, but has often led to huge losses and other problems. Politicians may be enticed by the short-term cash offered by privatization, but citizens of Wisconsin deserve to know that there will not be larger long-term losses.

 

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Report | WISPIRG Foundation, Demos | Democracy

Auctioning Democracy

Results of Dēmos and U.S. PIRG Education Fund analysis of Federal Election Commission data on Super PACs from their advent in 2010 through the end of 2011.

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Tools & Resources

  • 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
  • END SECRET MONEY GIVEAWAYS
    Wisconsin recently lost track of $50 million in taxpayer loans to private companies. We're working for new rules and oversight to protect taxpayers from waste, fraud and abuse.
    Learn More
  • How Many Tax Dollars In A Twinkie?
    Every year, more than a billion taxpayer dollars subsidize high-fructose corn syrup and other key ingredients in junk food at a time when 1 in 3 kids is overweight or obese.
    Take Action
  • STOP TAX DODGERS
    Corporate tax avoidance cost Wisconsinites $1.6 billion last year. WISPIRG is working to close the loopholes that allow companies to avoid paying the taxes they owe.
    Learn more
    Sign the petition

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