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Report | Florida PIRG Education Fund | Budget

Following the Money 2012

This report is U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s third annual ranking of states’ progress toward “Transparency 2.0”—a new standard of comprehensive, one-stop, one-click budget accountability and accessibility. The past year has seen continued progress, with new states providing online access to government spending information and several states pioneering new tools to further expand citizens’ access to spending information and engagement with government. In 2011, eight states created new transparency websites and several others made significant improvements to sites already launched.

News Release | Florida PIRG Education Fund | Budget

Florida Receives D on Transparency of Government Spending But Still Makes Important Progress

Today, the Florida Public Interest Research Group (Florida PIRG) released its third annual report evaluating state transparency websites. The new report, Following the Money 2012: How the States Rank on Providing Online Access to Government Spending Data, looks at and compares state websites across the country highlighting states that are leading the way. While Florida received a D for the Transparency Florida site the state still made some important progress.

Issue | Budget, Tax

Close Corporate Tax Loopholes

Making corporations pay the taxes they owe.

Issue | Budget, Food

Stop Subsidizing Obesity

Ending taxpayer subsidies for junk food.

Problems With Privatized Law Enforcement's New Frontier

Thursday, October 27, 2011
By | Phineas Baxandall
Senior Analyst for Tax & Budget Policy

One in five Americans lives in a jurisdiction that outsources traffic ticketing this way, according to a newly released report from the Florida Public Interest Research Group, titled "Caution: Red Light Cameras Ahead; The Risks of Privatizing Traffic Law Enforcement and How to Protect the Public." And a report released by the Justice Department suggests this trend may accelerate under the twin pressures of budget pressure and intense lobbying.

Report | Florida PIRG Education Fund | Budget

Caution: Red Light Cameras Ahead

Privatized traffic law enforcement systems are spreading rapidly across the United States. As many as 700 local jurisdictions have entered into deals with for-profit companies to install camera systems at intersections and along roadways to encourage drivers to obey traffic signals and follow speed limits. Local contracting for automated traffic enforcement systems may sometimes be a useful tool for keeping drivers and pedestrians safe. But when private firms and municipalities consider revenues first, and safety second, the public interest is threatened.

News Release | Florida PIRG | Budget

New Report Outlines Problems with Red-Light and Speed Cameras

A new research report released today outlines problems with the growing trend among cities to outsource traffic enforcement to red-light and speed camera vendors.

News Release | Florida PIRG | Budget

Representative Jeff Flake Introduces REAPS Act

Statement of Florida PIRG Federal Legislative Office Director Gary Kalman on the introduction of the Reducing the Deficit through Eliminating Agriculture Direct Payment Subsidies Act

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.

Report | Florida PIRG | Budget

Analysis of HR1

It’s difficult to imagine how cuts to Pell Grants, food safety or clean drinking water come before subsidies to BP or advertising for fast food and underwear. And yet, that’s exactly what the House resolution has done.

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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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