June 28, 2010

Have you ever used your debit card to make a purchase or withdrawal that is greater than your checking account balance? Perhaps you have a friend or family member that complained about the bank allowing them to overdraw their account and then charging a hefty fee. Banks earn tens of billions of dollars in overdraft fees each year, but a new regulation will empower consumers to protect themselves from debit card overdrafts. Read More

Atlanta, Ga. – Many metro Atlanta hospitals aren’t doing enough to improve health care accessibility for the low-income and uninsured, according to a report released this week by Georgia Watch. In addition, only half of the 34 hospitals in the 21-county Atlanta area fail to post legally-required signage about available financial aid programs. Read More

By Angela Speir Phelps

We hear a lot of talk about ethics in government – particularly the need for more. Candidates for public office often talk about the need for ethics reform and those elected talk about their staunch support for strengthening ethics in government. But talk is cheap. Where the rubber meets the road is how one acts, how they conduct the people’s business, and how they vote when presented with the opportunity to stand up for what’s right. A message from a podium is nothing more than an empty promise if forgotten once elected. Read more

June 17, 2010

The Public Service Commission today responded to scrutiny over Atlanta Gas Light’s proposed pipeline expansion to the Reynolds resort in Greene County, voting to delay the project until more financial data is provided by AGL.

The 40-mile pipeline would have to cross two counties in order to serve the Reynolds resort, which is home to a Ritz-Carlton hotel and several private golf courses.

Georgia Watch Deputy Director Danny Orrock spoke before the Public Service Commission at a committee meeting last week, arguing that the project – whose estimated cost is $25 million, but could balloon to as high as $75 million – is unnecessary and not in the public interest. Read more

June 10, 2010

IRP update – On May 19th, Georgia Watch witness Jay Hakes testified before the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) regarding Georgia Power Company’s 2010 Integrated Resource Plan filing.

Hakes said that Georgia Power’s residential and commercial energy efficiency programs were inadaquate. He characterized the company’s new homes program as suffering from “piddling incentives.”

His testimony also included a recommendation that the Commission adopt a standard included in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which provides that, with respect to long-term planning, each electric utility must “adopt policies establishing cost-effective energy efficiency as a priority resource.” Read more

June 6, 2010

Georgia Watch Executive Director Angela Speir Phelps appeared today on PBA legal affairs program, Leyes Cotidianas, or “Everyday Law.” Click here for the video.

By Danny Orrock

The 2010 Georgia General Assembly, which wrapped up in late April, was the longest session that anyone can remember. During the session Georgia Watch monitored and spoke out on a number of different bills affecting consumers, including legislation on civil justice, ethics, flood plain notifications, lending, nonprofit hospitals, and utilities, to name a few.

Below we highlight several key bills that Georgia Watch worked on in 2010. Read more

Georgia Watch welcomes a new addition to its watchdog team. Jonathan Shapiro joins the organization as communications director, bringing with him valuable experience as a radio, web, and newspaper reporter.

Shapiro most recently worked as Morning Edition producer for WABE, Atlanta’s NPR station. He reported on a range of topics, including transportation, homelessness, immigration, and the state Supreme Court. He will be responsible for all media contact, as well as internal and external communications in print and on the web. Read more

Georgia Watch welcomes a new addition to its watchdog team. Jonathan Shapiro joins the organization as communications director, bringing with him valuable experience as a radio, web, and newspaper reporter.

Shapiro most recently worked as Morning Edition producer for WABE, Atlanta’s NPR station. He reported on a range of topics, including transportation, homelessness, immigration, and the state Supreme Court. He will be responsible for all media contact, as well as internal and external communications in print and on the web. Read more