Attach to Form 990 or 990-EZ.| Identifier | Return Reference | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| ORGANIZATION'S MISSION | FORM 990 - ORGANIZATION'S MISSION | OSPIRG TAKES ON POWERFUL INTERESTS ON BEHALF OF OREGON'S CITIZENS, WORKING TO WIN CONCRETE RESULTS FOR OUR HEALTH AND OUR WELL-BEING. WITH AN EXPERIENCED NETWORK OF RESEARCHERS, ADVOCATES, ORGANIZERS AND VOLUNTEERS ACROSS THE STATE, WE STAND UP TO POWERFUL INTERESTS ON ISSUES TO MAKE HEALTH CARE AFFORDABLE, PROTECT CONSUMERS FROM MARKETPLACE ABUSES, FIGHT POLITICAL CORRUPTION, AND BOOST CIVIC PARTICIPATION. |
| FIRST ACCOMPLISHMENT DESCRIPTION | FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III, LINE 4A | IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OSPIRG FOUNDATION, WE CONTINUED CONDUCTING IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF SIGNIFICANT HEALTH INSURANCE RATE HIKE PROPOSALS, AS PART OF OREGON'S RATE REVIEW PROCESS. IN APRIL, WE ALSO ORGANIZED OVER ONE THOUSAND OREGONIANS TO CONTACT STATE OFFICIALS ABOUT A NUMBER OF REQUESTS BY INSURERS TO HIKE PREMIUMS. SINCE 2010, ADDITIONAL SCRUTINY BY STATE OFFICIALS HAS CUT OVER 155 MILLION IN WASTE FROM HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND SMALL BUSINESSES. OSPIRG ALSO BUILT PUBLIC AND POLICYMAKING SUPPORT FOR REQUIRING INSURERS TO MORE CLEARLY QUANTIFY THEIR PROGRESS IN LOWERING COSTS AND BOOSTING PREVENTION, AND HOLDING INSURERS ACCOUNTABLE TO STRONG BENCHMARKS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OSPIRG FOUNDATION, OSPIRG RELEASED RESEARCH MAKING THE CASE FOR POLICIES TO SEE THIS THROUGH AND SHARED THE RESEARCH WITH STATE OFFICIALS; EDUCATED OVER 70,000 OREGONIANS FACE-TO-FACE ABOUT THIS EFFORT; GATHERED OVER 20,000 PETITION SIGNATURES TO GOVERNOR KITZHABER AND STATE OFFICIALS; AND DISTRIBUTED INFORMATION TO 100,000 HOUSEHOLDS ABOUT OPTIONS AVAILABLE UNDER THE NEW HEALTH CARE LAW. IN JULY, WE SAW OUR EFFORTS ADVANCE, WHEN THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED HIS ADMINISTRATION WOULD CONSIDER OUR PROPOSAL AND MAKE A FINAL RECOMMENDATION ON HOW TO PROCEED IN NOVEMBER 2013. 2. NO SECRET MONEY IN SALEM HOW GOVERNMENT COLLECTS AND SPENDS MONEY IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. TAX AND BUDGETING DECISIONS ARE THE MOST CONCRETE WAY THAT GOVERNMENT DECLARES ITS PUBLIC PRIORITIES AND BALANCES BETWEEN COMPETING VALUES. TAX DOLLARS SHOULD ONLY BE USED TO PROMOTE THE PUBLIC INTEREST. WHEN TAX DOLLARS ARE GIVEN TO PRIVATE INTERESTS, TO STIMULATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR EXAMPLE, IT IS CRITICAL THAT THE PUBLIC CAN CLEARLY SEE WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE GETTING THEIR MONEY'S WORTH. YET, UNTIL RECENTLY, THE DETAILS OF OVER 600 MILLION IN STATE CORPORATE TAX SUBSIDIES WERE KEPT OUT OF REACH FROM THE PUBLIC. AS A RESULT THE PUBLIC HAD VIRTUALLY NO WAY TO EVALUATE THESE SUBSIDIES. OSPIRG HELPED PRY OPEN CRITICAL DETAILS FROM SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS AFTER A SERIES OF PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS TO THE STATE THAT CULMINATED IN AN OREGON DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ORDER TO DISCLOSE THE INFORMATION. SHORTLY AFTER, GOVERNOR KITZHABER'S ADMINISTRATION COMMITTED TO DISCLOSING MOST OF THE REMAINING CRITICAL DETAILS OF ALL THE MAJOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUBSIDY PROGRAMS ON OREGON'S TRANSPARENCY WEBSITE BY THE CLOSE OF 2013. 3.STOP SUBSIDIZING OBESITY OUR TAX DOLLARS SHOULD ONLY GO TO THINGS THAT SERVE THE PUBLIC GOOD, YET WE'RE HANDING OUT TAXPAYER SUBSIDIES TO BIG AGRIBUSINESSES TO HELP SUBSIDIZE JUNK FOOD. HUGE, PROFITABLE CORPORATIONS LIKE CARGILL AND MONSANTO ARE POCKETING TENS OF BILLIONS IN TAXPAYER DOLLARS, AND TURNING SUBSIDIZED CROPS INTO JUNK FOOD INGREDIENTS - INCLUDING HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP. THESE TAXPAYER GIVEAWAYS ARE ALL THE MORE ABSURD AT A TIME WHEN ONE IN THREE KIDS IS OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE, AND OBESITY-RELATED DISEASES LIKE DIABETES ARE TURNING INTO AN EPIDEMIC. OSPIRG CONTINUED TO LEAD A NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO CALL FOR THE END TO WASTEFUL AGRICULTURAL SUBSIDIES. TOGETHER, WE SPOKE FACE-TO-FACE WITH OVER 1.5 MILLION PEOPLE, COORDINATED AN ONLINE CAMPAIGN THAT GENERATED 200,000 PUBLIC COMMENTS INTO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, LOBBIED TOGETHER WITH GROUPS FROM ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM AND RELEASED RESEARCH TO PROMPT MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE ISSUE. 4. CLOSING CORPORATE TAX LOOPHOLES IN JUNE, THE OREGON LEGISLATURE TOOK AN INITIAL STEP TOWARD ENDING OFFSHORE TAX HAVEN ABUSE, CLOSING ONE LOOPHOLE THAT WILL KEEP AN ESTIMATED 18 MILLION IN OREGON IN 2014, AND MORE IN FUTURE YEARS. FOR YEARS, COMPANIES HAVE GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO SHIRK TAX RESPONSIBILITIES. OSPIRG RESEARCH FOUND THAT OREGON'S STATE BUDGET LOSES AN ESTIMATED 283 MILLION IN ANNUAL REVENUE AS A RESULT OF THE ABUSE OF OFFSHORE TAX HAVENS BY MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS. AFTER REVIEWING THIS RESEARCH, OSPIRG ADVOCATE CELESTE MEIFFREN AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DAVE ROSENFELD DECIDED THAT OREGON COULDN'T WAIT FOR CONGRESS TO ACT. THEY BRAINSTORMED WAYS OREGON COULD CRACK DOWN ON MULTINATIONAL TAX DODGERS THAT PROFIT FROM OUR RESIDENTS. CELESTE AND DAVE PRESENTED THEIR IDEAS TO SEVERAL LAWMAKERS. THE IDEA TOOK HOLD, AND GOT CRAFTED INTO A BILL THAT ULTIMATELY WON UNANIMOUS APPROVAL BY THE LEGISLATURE. 5. WALL STREET REFORM IN ITS SECOND YEAR, THE NEW CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU (CFPB) DEMONSTRATED THE POSITIVE IMPACT THAT A FULL TIME FEDERAL CONSUMER WATCHDOG CAN HAVE FOR CONSUMERS WHO ARE MISLED OR CHEATED BY THE FINANCIAL INDUSTRY. CONGRESS CREATED THE CFPB IN 2010, AFTER AN EPIC BATTLE BETWEEN WALL STREET BANKS AND CONSUMER ADVOCATES, INCLUDING OSPIRG AND OUR FEDERATION OF PIRGS IN 23 STATES. "THE HILL," THE CONGRESSIONAL NEWSPAPER, NAMED THE PIRG FEDERATION'S WORK TO REIN IN WALL STREET AS ONE OF THE YEAR'S TEN BIGGEST LOBBYING VICTORIES. KEY STEPS THE CFPB TOOK THIS YEAR: "FIRST OF THREE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS AGAINST CREDIT CARD COMPANIES-AMERICAN EXPRESS, DISCOVER AND CAPITOL ONE-FOR DECEIVING THEIR CUSTOMERS. THOSE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS RESULTED IN NEARLY HALF A BILLION DOLLARS IN FEES BEING RETURNED TO CONSUMERS. "AFFIRMED ITS AUTHORITY TO WATCHDOG CREDIT BUREAUS-THE GATEKEEPERS OF FINANCIAL AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY THAT HAVE SEEN LITTLE TO NO OVERSIGHT. OVER 10,000 PIRG MEMBERS WEIGHED IN TO THE CFPB IN FAVOR OF TAKING THIS STEP. "ISSUED A NEW REPORT FINDING ERRORS IN AT LEAST 1 IN 5 CONSUMER CREDIT SCORES THAT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE TO CONSUMERS' CREDIT RATINGS. THESE FINDINGS CONFIRM LONGSTANDING OSPIRG RESEARCH, AND HELP SET THE STAGE FOR FURTHER CFPB ACTIONS TO HELP FIX AND REDUCE THE LARGE NUMBER OF DAMAGING CREDIT REPORT ERRORS. "MOVED TO END KICKBACKS BY MORTGAGE INSURERS, ISSUING OVER 15 MILLION IN TOTAL PENALTIES. ILLEGAL KICKBACKS RESULT IN MANY HOMEOWNERS PAYING MORE FOR MORTGAGE INSURANCE, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO CAN ONLY MAKE RELATIVELY SMALL DOWN PAYMENTS. 6. STANDING UP TO BIG MONEY IN POLITICS IN JULY, IN THE WAKE OF A STATEWIDE ADVOCACY AND ORGANIZING EFFORT, OREGON BECAME THE 16TH STATE TO CALL FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO UPHOLD THE RIGHT OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO STOP BIG MONEY FROM DISTORTING OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM. TO PASS THE BILL, OSPIRG'S EVAN PRESTON WORKED WITH LEADERS AND ACTIVISTS FROM ACROSS THE STATE. EVAN'S PARTICULAR FOCUS WAS TO ENSURE THAT THE BILL PASSED BY BIPARTISAN CONSENSUS, REACHING OUT TO GROUPS FROM ALL ENDS OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM, SUCH AS COMMON CAUSE, MOVE TO AMEND, AND LOCAL REPUBLICAN AND TEA PARTY CHAPTERS. 7. PROTECTING OREGON CONSUMERS FOR THE 27TH YEAR, OSPIRG RELEASED OUR ANNUAL "TROUBLE IN TOYLAND" TOY SAFETY REPORT, TO COINCIDE WITH BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING. DESPITE STRICT LIMITS ON CHEMICALS SUCH AS PHTHALATES AND LEAD IN CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS, WE FOUND AN ACTION FIGURE, "MORPHOBOT," THAT CONTAINS ALMOST TWICE THE LEGAL LIMIT OF LEAD-A POTENT NEUROTOXIN THAT HAS BEEN BANNED IN PAINT AND GASOLINE SINCE 1977. OSPIRG RESEARCHERS ALSO FOUND TOYS AND PARTS OF TOYS ON STORE SHELVES THAT COULD BE POTENTIAL CHOKING HAZARDS. PARENTS CAN USE AN EMPTY TOILET PAPER ROLL TO DETERMINE IF A TOY POSES A CHOKING HAZARD-IF A TOY OR PART OF A TOY FITS INTO THE TOILET PAPER ROLL, IT IS TOO DANGEROUS FOR A CHILD UNDER THREE. CONSUMERS CAN USE THIS AND OTHER SHOPPING TIPS AND RESOURCES ON OSPIRG'S TOY SAFETY APP, AT WWW.TOYSAFETY.MOBI, TO SHOP FOR SAFE TOYS. IN ADDITION, OSPIRG'S RENTERS' HANDBOOK MARKED ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR. SINCE OSPIRG STUDENT VOLUNTEERS PRODUCED THE FIRST EDITION IN 1973, THE HANDBOOK HAS PROVIDED HARD-TO-FIND INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO KEEP A SECURITY DEPOSIT, GET THAT TOILET FIXED, DEAL WITH A DIFFICULT LANDLORD AND MORE. TODAY, THE HANDBOOK IS AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR FREE ON OSPIRG'S WEBSITE, AND WAS VIEWED BY THOUSANDS LAST YEAR. |
| ORGANIZATION'S PROCESS USED TO REVIEW FORM 990 | FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 11B | THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES A DRAFT 990 TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS AND GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW AND MAKE CHANGES IF NECESSARY. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND ADMINISTRATOR REVIEW IN DETAIL. |
| ENFORCEMENT OF CONFLICTS POLICY | FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 12C | THE ORGANIZATION REQUIRES THE BOARD MEMBERS AND KEY EMPLOYEES TO SIGN A CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH FISCAL YEAR AND REPORT ANY SUBSEQUENT CONFLICTS THAT MAY ARISE DURING THE YEAR. |
| COMPENSATION PROCESS FOR TOP OFFICIAL | FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 15A | THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE WILL ESTABLISH ACCEPTABLE COMPENSATION PACKAGES AFTER REVIEWING AT LEAST ONE OF THE FOLLOWING: 1) INFORMATION ABOUT COMPENSATION PAID BY SIMILARLY SITUATED TAX-EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS FOR SIMILAR SERVICES; 2) CURRENT COMPENSATION SURVEYS COMPILED BY INDEPENDENT FIRMS; OR 3) ACTUAL WRITTEN OFFERS FROM SIMILARLY SITUATED ORGANIZATIONS. |
| COMPENSATION PROCESS FOR OFFICERS | FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 15B | THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE WILL ESTABLISH ACCEPTABLE COMPENSATION PACKAGES AFTER REVIEWING AT LEAST ONE OF THE FOLLOWING: 1) INFORMATION ABOUT COMPENSATION PAID BY SIMILARLY SITUATED TAX-EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS FOR SIMILAR SERVICES; 2) CURRENT COMPENSATION SURVEYS COMPILED BY INDEPENDENT FIRMS; OR 3) ACTUAL WRITTEN OFFERS FROM SIMILARLY SITUATED ORGANIZATIONS. |
| GOVERNING DOCUMENTS DISCLOSURE EXPLANATION | FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 19 | THE ORGANIZATION'S FORM 990 AND EXEMPT APPLICATIONS ARE KEPT IN OUR OFFICE AND ARE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC UPON REQUEST. |
| OTHER FEES FOR SERVICES | FORM 990, PART IX, LINE 11G | CONSULTANT 14,555 42,913 0 CITIZEN OUTREACH PROGRAM 255,530 0 333,313 |
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