New Orleans is one of the few remaining large cities in America to not have a major, custom, in-ground concrete skatepark despite the longstanding and massive BMX and skateboarding communities in the greater New Orleans region even though there are numerous public amenities for traditional sports. We're calling on the New Orleans city council to allocate funds for a major, custom, in-ground concrete skatepark such as the newly completed Baton Rouge skatepark with design input from the local BMX and skateboarding communities featuring hybrid terrain for everyone from beginners to advanced users to accommodate everyone from the youth to the veterans of the New Orleans BMX and skateboarding communities.

The shortfall in funding the future of social security can be relieved by removing the earnings cap (currently $110.000) after which no contribution to social security is made. By taxing all wages, salaries and self employed income fairly, including the highest wages earned, the shortfall in the Social Security Trust can be greatly reduced. It is time to stop the terrible inequity of taxing only low base earnings.

My petition is about the waste in Pac money. No public good benefits from this deep well of spending. This Pac money should be taxed and the proceeds used to prop up struggling programs like Medicare, enhance education, improve our infrastructure, create jobs. Jobs. Jobs. At least, make the Pac money provide some good for our struggling working and middle class.

Twenty percent of American children will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday. Child sexual abuse produces many damaging lifelong effects for it's victims. Unfortunately, many victims are unable to seek justice in the criminal or civil courts because of New York's statute of limitations. Studies show that over 90% of children are sexually abused by someone close to them, often a family member or someone close to their family. 80-90% of victims won't tell anyone about their victimization before they become adults. In at least ten percent of cases, there is a non-offending adult who is aware of the abuse and does nothing to stop it. And this doesn't take into account the children who tell an adult who may take some action, but that action falls short of a call to the police or CPS. In short, it is impossible for many dependant children to use the court system to seek justice. They need to wait until they are adults, and adults who have accomplished a certain amount of healing, and have social, financial and health resources at their disposal. Things that are almost impossible for them to accomplish by the tender age of 23, the age at which the current statute of limitations prohibits them from seeking justice. This is one of rare opportunities the legislator gets to pass a bill that can empower victims, remove sex offenders from the street, and protect children.

The US Government is poised to give more public aid to the rich and powerful. Tell our leaders to stop doing this at the expense of the tens or hundred of millions of Americans. We are calling on them to help those that need help not the wealthy.

IBM has prepared a Report which the San Jose City Council will consider on or about February 28th which recommends that hundreds of police officers and firefighters be eliminated. They also recommend that the Senior Lunch Program be ended.

The Mahoning-Youngstown Community Action Partnership has appealed to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to save the local program from bankruptcy and closing.

Unlike transit systems such as New York's or Chicago's, Atlanta's MARTA system can be unreliable and mostly limits its service to Fulton and DeKalb counties. In addition, MARTA has to keep raising its fares to stay in business. This could smear Atlanta's reputation as one of the top cities to live.

Please save our pets from being euthanized! Help stop Governor Jerry Brown from repealing the California's animal control and shelter legislation known as the Hayden Law in the California 2012-13 Budget. Governor Brown has asked the state legislature to repeal animal protections championed by Senator Tom Hayden in 1998 that include the increase of California's holding period from 72 hours to four days; the requirement that other species, such as rabbits and guinea pigs, be given the same protections as cats and dogs; the posting of lost-and-found lists so that animals can be reunited with their families; and the directive to provide veterinary care for sick and injured animals. Please read this cogent argument to the repeal by the Animal Law Coalition: http://www.animallawcoalition.com/public-shelters/article/1922 Groups opposed to repeal of the Hayden Law urge like-minded state residents to telephone Gov. Brown at 916-445-2841 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; or fax a letter of opposition to 916-558-3177. Opposition may also be voiced via email to Brown at http://gov.ca.gov/m_contact.php; by post to Brown's Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/ jerry.brown; or by tweet to his Twitter page at @JerryBrownGov<http://twitter. com/jerrybrowngov>

Nashville’s Metropolitan Transportation Licensing Commission (MTLC) conducted a sting operation against Metro Livery, an affordable limousine and town car service that is currently suing Nashville in federal court. Metro Livery’s crime? Charging its customers less than the government-mandated $45 minimum fare.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is proposing changes that would raise ticket prices by up to 43%, eliminate all weekend and late-night train services, cut bus routes, and affect nearly 100 million riders a year. Not only is this a prohibitive raise in prices, especially for elderly and young riders, but local tourism will be devastated by the loss of service and many cities who built affordable housing near train stations will be severely impacted. On top of this, thousands of citizens will be unable to get to work via public transportation, leading to increased traffic and pollutants in numerous communities. The MBTA and State Government need to work harder to investigate alternative methods of funding and find new revenue projects, as well as exploring other restructuring options in order to save commuters and their communities the financial and environmental impact of these crippling measures.

The Seminole trail has no crosswalks . Dozens of people cross this road at their own peril. This is a big problem with a simple solution. Build some crosswalks!