Dear Arizona PIRG member, Our state and our country need consumer watchdogs now more than ever. As the fastest growing state in the nation, to many Arizonans it seems the consumer rip-offs in our state are also growing at a rapid rate. Whether it is a new home being built, a house repair, financial investments, phone and cable, or any other service, Arizonans are hearing about and/or experiencing problems on a near-daily basis. Across the nation, millions of toys were recalled in the last year for having too much lead paint. Before those recalls, it was dangerous pet food. Before that: spinach tainted with E. coli. To make matters even more challenging, the CPSC, the body charged with product safety, has half the staff it had 20 years ago, even though their job has undoubtedly gotten more extensive. The FDA also has an inadequate budget (though, as you will read on page 2, our work helped give the FDA more authority), even though drug makers now market directly to consumers, creating more demand than ever. That is why we are not only are stepping up our efforts to author reports and increase public education and involvement, but we are also advocating for consumer and other public interest-oriented policies in Arizona and in Washington, D.C. We could not undertake such important work if it were not for you. Thank you for your support. Sincerely, Diane E. Brown Executive Director |
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To Our Members |
