Home

Welcome to Arizona PIRG Education Fund

What's New

All
News
Reports

Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Trouble In Toyland

The 2012 Trouble in Toyland report is the 27th annual PIRG survey of toy safety. In this report, the Arizona PIRG Education Fund provides safety guidelines for consumers when purchasing toys for small children and provides examples of toys currently on store shelves that may pose potential safety hazards.

News Release | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Annual Survey Finds Dangerous Toys on Store Shelves

Dangerous or toxic toys can still be found on America’s store shelves, according to the State PIRG’s 27th annual Trouble in Toyland report.

Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Big Banks Bigger Fees 2012

Since Congress largely deregulated consumer deposit (checking and savings) accounts beginning in the early 1980s, the state PIRGs have tracked bank deposit account fee changes and documented the banks’ long-term strategy to raise fees, invent new fees and make it harder to avoid fees.

News Release | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

New Survey Shows Free Checking Widely Available At Small Banks But Banks Still Hiding Fees from Consumers

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).

News Release | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Tax

This Time, Taxpayers Shoulder None of $4.5 Billion BP Settlement Deal

In great news for 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.

Pages

News Release | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Democracy

NEW REPORT DETAILS LATEST NUMBERS ON OUTSIDE SPENDING, SECRET MONEY AND SUPER PAC FUNDRAISING FOR 2012 ELECTIONS

The Top 5 “dark money” spenders on presidential election ads have reported less than 1% of their spending to the FEC, which is all that is required by the agency’s insufficient standards, according to a new report analyzing the latest campaign filings. Today, public policy organizations Dēmos and the Arizona PIRG Education Fund released “Megaphones for Millionaires: Super PACs and Unlimited Outside Spending in the 2012 Elections,” which provides a detailed analysis of Federal Election Commission (FEC) data and secondary sources on outside spending and Super PAC fundraising for 2012 election cycle.

News Release | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Health Care

Statement on U.S. Supreme Court Decision to Uphold Health Reform Law

Today’s decision means leaders in Arizona need to move forward and make sure health reform delivers lower costs and better quality for consumers.

News Release | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Democracy

Statement on Supreme Court Passing on Revisiting Citizens United

Today the Supreme Court passed on the opportunity to revisit its 2010 Citizens United decision which is wreaking havoc on democracy and it has done so in a way that avoids giving the American public a much deserved explanation.

News Release | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Health Care

At Stake: What’s on the Line for Health Care Consumers in the Pending Supreme Court Case

The outcome of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will have far reaching impacts on consumers. In this issue brief, we highlight what’s at stake for Arizona consumers in the pending Supreme Court case.

News Release | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

BANKS SKIM MILLIONS IN FEES FROM STUDENT AID USING DEBIT-CARD-LINKED STUDENT IDS

The Campus Debit Card Trap, a new report released by the Arizona PIRG Education Fund, finds that banks and financial firms now control or influence federal financial aid disbursement to over 9 million students by linking checking accounts and prepaid debit cards to student IDs. According to the report, financial institutions now have affinity partnerships with almost 900 campuses nationwide, grafting bank products onto student IDs and other campus cards to become the primary recipient of billions in federal financial aid to distribute to students.

Pages

Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Budget

Following the Money 2012

This report is the Arizona 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.

Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Safe Energy

Too Close To Home

In the United States, 49 million Americans receive their drinking water from surface sources located within 50 miles of an active nuclear power plant – inside the boundary the Nuclear Regulatory Commission uses to assess risk to food and water supplies.

Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Democracy

Representation Without Taxation

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

Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Trouble in Toyland 2011

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 | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Budget

Caution: Red Light Cameras Ahead

Privatized traffic law enforcement systems are spreading rapidly across the United States, but the public interest is threatened when private camera companies and municipalities focus on ticket revenues first and safety second.

Pages

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.

Read Our Report
Bringing Passenger Rail to Arizona

Find out how Arizona can bring passenger rail to our state with policies that utilize private capital and expertise while protecting the public interest.

Get the report
Building an Energy Efficient Arizona

Arizona is at an energy crossroad — with a dirty past and the chance for a clean energy future. Read how Arizona can improve efficiency, reduce pollution and save money.

Get the report
Arizona Earned a B for transparency

States across the country have been moving toward making their checkbooks transparent by creating online transparency portals. See how Arizona stacks up to other states.

Get the Report

Donate
More Ways To Give

Support Us

Your tax-deductible donation supports Arizona PIRG Education Fund's work to educate consumers on the issues that matter, and to stand up to the powerful interests that are blocking progress.

Learn More

You can also support Arizona PIRG Education Fund’s work through bequests, contributions from life insurance or retirement plans, securities contributions and vehicle donations.