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Report | Ohio PIRG | Tax

Picking Up the Tab 2013

Some U.S.-based multinational firms and individuals avoid paying U.S. taxes by using accounting tricks to shift profits made in America to offshore tax havens—countries with minimal or no taxes. They benefit from their access to America’s markets, workforce, infrastructure and security; but they pay little or nothing for it—violating the basic fairness of the tax system and forcing other taxpayers to pick up the tab.

Blog Post | Health Care

The Supreme Court and the High Cost of Rx Drugs | Tabitha Woodruff

Everyone knows prescription drugs cost much more than they should. But I find many people are surprised to learn about one of the key ways drug companies keep prices high: Paying off competitors to keep generics off the market. On Monday, the Supreme Court heard arguments in a case about this very practice.

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News Release | Ohio PIRG Education Fund | Budget

Michigan Beats Ohio in a Landslide in Government Spending Transparency

Ohio received a “D+” when it comes to 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 Ohio PIRG Education Fund.

Report | Ohio PIRG Education Fund | Budget

Following the Money 2013

Every year, state governments spend tens of billions of dollars through contracts with private entities for goods and services, subsidies to encourage economic development, grants, and other forms of spending. Accountability and public scrutiny are necessary to ensure that state funds are well spent.

Media Hit | Transportation

Company that would oversee parking meters had trouble in other cities

CINCINNATI - A company on track to assume control of Cincinnati’s parking meters was the subject of a blistering audit in 2007 for its performance managing meters in Washington, D.C.

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Media Hit | Democracy

First ever Democracy Day draws wide array of opinions in Brecksville

BRECKSVILLE - The first Democracy Day town hall meeting allowed for the exchange of a wide variety of ideas about the issue of whether or not a 28th amendment to the Constitution is necessary.

News Release | Ohio PIRG Education Fund | Tax

Offshore Tax Dodging Blows a $707M Hole in Ohio Budget

COLUMBUS, February 11 – As advocates and policy makers across the state analyze the voluminous state budget proposed last week, the Ohio Public Interest Research Group (Ohio PIRG) released a new study revealing that Ohio lost $707 million due to offshore tax dodging in 2012. Many of America’s wealthiest individuals and largest corporations, including Kroger, P&G, and Cardinal Health in Ohio, use tax loopholes to shift profits made in America to offshore tax havens, where they pay little to no taxes.

Media Hit | Transportation

Op-Ed: Council should heed the red flags from Chicago

A bad deal with no way out. This is the parking situation in Chicago, post-privatization. This could be Cincinnati’s future, if we allow City Council to follow in Chicago’s footsteps.

Media Hit | Budget

Cincy More Transparent About Spending Than Cleveland

The city of Cincinnati earned a B+ from the Ohio Public Interest Research Group Education Fund for being transparent about its spending – a much better grade than Cleveland’s F.

News Release | Ohio PIRG Education Fund | Budget

Cincinnati Receives High Grade on Spending Transparency in Stark Contrast to Cleveland’s Low Score

Cincinnati received a grade of “B+” for spending transparency, according to a new report released today by the Ohio PIRG Education Fund. The report reviews Cincinnati’s progress toward comprehensive, one-stop, one-click budget accountability and accessibility.

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Report | Ohio PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Trouble in Toyland

The 2012 Trouble in Toyland report is the 27th annual Ohio Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) survey of toy safety. In this report, Ohio PIRG 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.

Report | U.S. PIRG, Demos | Democracy

Distorted Democracy: Post-Election Spending Analysis

A new analysis of data through Election Day from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and other sources by U.S. PIRG and Demos shows how big outside spenders drowned out small contributions in 2012: just 61 large donors to Super PACs giving an average of $4.7 million each matched the $285.2 million in grassroots contributions from more than 1,425,500 small donors to the major party presidential candidates.

Report | Ohio PIRG Education Fund | Financial Reform

Bigger Banks, Bigger Fees

Over the last six months, state PIRG staff conducted inquiries at 250 bank and 116 credit union branches in 17 states and the District of Columbia and reviewed bank fees online in these and 7 other states.

Report | Ohio PIRG Education Fund | Transportation

Eight Questions about the Future of the Ohio Turnpike

The State of Ohio recently spent $2.85 million to commission KPMG to analyze different possibilities for borrowing against future toll revenue to the Ohio Turnpike, including privatization. Will the study fairly portray the state’s options with the downsides and upsides? Here the Ohio PIRG Education Fund presents the eight questions Ohioans most need to ask.

Report | Ohio PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Total Food Recall

Over the past few years, Americans have grown accustomed to seeing headlines about tainted food being recalled and pulled off store shelves. This is unacceptable.

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FIGHT HIGH Rx COSTS

Prescription drugs cost too much. Brand-name drug companies have been paying off generic drug makers to delay competition and keep prices high, and it's costing us billions. Together, we can stop them.

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STOP TAX DODGERS

Corporate tax avoidance cost Ohioans $4.8 billion last year. We're working to close the loopholes that allow companies to avoid paying the taxes they owe.

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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."

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YOUR TAX DOLLARS BECOME CORN SYRUP

At a time when one-in-three kids is overweight or obese, over a billion taxpayer dollars go to high-fructose corn syrup and junk food ingredients.

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Priority Action

The CUT Loopholes Act would put an end to the price and profit shifting that allows publicly traded companies to engage in pervasive tax avoidance.

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