A new report, released by Georgia Watch and Consumer Federation of America, finds that Georgia families will continue to spend an extra $450 per year on their energy bills if strong energy efficiency policies are not incorporated into the climate and energy legislation before Congress. The report shows that robust state and federal energy efficiency policies could dramatically reduce energy consumption and save Georgians money on their energy bills every year. more
The Mortgage Bankers Association released their 2009 4Q mortgage loan delinquency rates last week. The report finds that of Georgia’s 1,654,728 mortgage holders, 17.1 percent are delinquent or in foreclosure. Additionally, 41.38 percent of the state’s mortgage holders with subprime loans were delinquent or in foreclosure at the end of 2009, as compared to 11.68 percent of those with prime loans. more
By David Markiewicz, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, February 21, 2010
The state Public Service Commission is scheduled to hold public hearings Monday and Tuesday in Georgia Power’s fuel cost recovery case.
If the utility gets what it’s asking — $3.9 billion to cover its cost of coal, natural gas and nuclear fuel for the next 14 months, plus $683 million in under-recovered past costs — the typical residential customer will pay nearly $7 more each month on his electric bill.more
The Road to Reform, the second installment of a two-part series on Georgia’s current foreclosure crisis. As a follow-up to The Rippling Effects of Foreclosure released in January 2010, the report details previously enacted reforms in our state; amended fair lending acts in New York and North Carolina; and Senate Bill 57, pending legislation that would implement common-sense underwriting standards in Georgia and combat hazardous lending. more
A wetland never forgets it’s a wetland
In Georgia, for every two acres of trees cut down, about one acre of roads, parking lots, driveways and rooftops is added. Construction changes the way our land handles rainy weather, often increasing the size of floodplains for many streams, and creating new wetlands by changing drainage patterns.
Georgia Association of Flood Plain Management
The formation of GAFM is the result of the concerted efforts of numerous individuals and organizations sharing a common desire to forward the cause of sound floodplain management. Membership in GAFM is open to all professionals, public and private entities, students and citizens interested in or involved in floodplain, watershed, stormwater, wetlands and hazard mitigation management and/or related disciplines within the State of Georgia. more
Are you paying too much for insurance? Are you tired of getting the run-around from your insurance companies? Download the I-Can Roadmap and learn how to steer clear of insurance pitfalls.
The less you know about your rights as an insurance consumer, the more of your money insurance companies will get. We can help you face your insurance companies on a level playing field. more
It shouldn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out that insurance companies are the reason doctors’ insurance rates have skyrocketed. Yet, doctor and hospital lobbying groups in Georgia have ignored the data about rising insurance rates and rising insurance industry profits. more
The first few years of our new century brought hardship for American businesses and investors. After the September 11 terrorist attacks, the stock market slumped, the airline industry still hasn’t recovered, thousands of Georgians lost their jobs, gave up expected pay raises, lost health insurance coverage, and fought for ways to keep their families’ budgets on track. more
The insurance industry can no longer blame rising premiums on “frivolous” or “jackpot” claims, according to new reports of record-shattering profits. more
Uninsured motorist (UM) insurance pays victims of car crashes for medical bills and property damage when the at-fault driver either has no insurance, or their insurance coverage is so low that it doesn’t fully cover the costs. more
Paying on paid-off cars
Title pawn loans are short-term, high-interest loans that use a borrower’s car title as collateral. Title lenders often target poor communities and military installations with promises of hassle-free fast cash. In reality, borrowers often do not understand the ultimate price of their title loan - which is cryptically hidden in contracts with confusing financial language. more
Not in our state
Payday lending was never legal in Georgia. But the penalty for offering payday loans was never harsh enough to deter lenders, nor did it give the police much incentive to enforce the law. more
Since 2006, Georgia Watch has pushed the legislature to add more consumer members to the State Medical Board – members who work outside the medical profession. Consumer members help balance the interests on the board and improve the representation of average consumers in closed-door disciplinary hearings. Disciplinary hearings occur after alleged incidents of malpractice or negligence. more
In 2005, several statewide advocacy groups promoted what we believe is a sound approach that would go a long way to lower malpractice premiums for doctors AND promote patient safety: House Bill 779, also known as The Consumer Right to Participate Act.
more
As many as 195,000 people are killed by medical errors each year, according to health care consulting firm HealthGrades Inc. Even so, providing safer care for patients in doctors’ offices, hospitals and nursing homes is not a priority for many of our state leaders or the health care industry.
*Source: The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
1. Don’t ignore the problem.
The further behind you become, the harder it will be to reinstate your loan and the more likely that you will lose your house. more
Currently in Georgia, one in eight home loans is past due and on the verge of foreclosure. While the subprime market represents just 13 percent of all outstanding loans in Georgia, subprime foreclosures accounted for 40 percent of the total number of Georgia foreclosures in the first quarter of 2009. more