Montgomery County Council: Don't rush a rezoning plan just to boost Walmart's profits. Walmart isn't right for our community.

With Austerity (AKA 'sequester') measures being imposed on the American public in an effort to reduce public debt, we as citizens must demand that those responsible for cutting or eliminating basic social and human services are themselves required to participate in cost-cutting measures. Nobody should be exempt.

Congress made a bad decision by enacting "Sequestration" and does not have the integrity to step up and correct it in the face of it's obvious and disastrous effects. Last week, they demonstrated their ability to act almost overnight when they quietly overhauled their own Insider-Trading Law (to their benefit), and they can do it again when it will benefit so many ordinary Americans in so many different and vitally important ways. The unintended and devastating consequences of this ill conceived legislation are far beyond anyone's ability to foresee and it must be repealed immediately in the interests of America and the American People.

Patrick Mara is running to represent us in the City Council, but he just doesn't understand what life is like for hard working low-wage families. He opposes raising the minimum wage, and he even opposes paid sick days for restaurant workers. My mother was a teacher, and she was laid off during DC's education cutbacks. Then she suffered a stroke. I had to leave school, since there was no money for tuition, and I had to start working to support the family. I am working as a server at a restaurant, getting less than $3 an hour plus tips, earning around $1000 per month. They won't give me more hours. I also don't get paid sick days. When my kids get sick, I am not able to care for them, without fear of losing my job. I can't afford DC's expensive rent, and I am currently living in subsidized DC public housing. I cannot afford child care, and my late shifts don't give me any time to spend with my children. I hope to go back to school one day, but find it difficult, supporting my mother and two children. How is anyone in my situation supposed to get ahead? Patrick Mara wants to represent us on the DC City Council, but he doesn't know what families like mine are up against. Will you join me in calling on Patrick Mara to walk a mile in my shoes? I'm not endorsing anyone in the City Council election next week. But I want to make sure that whoever is elected will support the issues that make a difference for me and my family.

This petition is concerning Companies who contractors provide services to on a regular basis and aren't paid for services rendered. This affects thousands of people if not millions of workers who are trying to make an honest living and can't receive compensation for their services. Most now with the economy are living paycheck to paycheck and deserve to be paid. As the governement does implement laws that allow large companies too obtain their funds for unpaid bills. Now! Do the same by making these companies pay up when services are provided and quit milking the true poor to middle classed individuals.

Many ex-offenders have been personally affected by this issue. Many are so frustrated trying to obtain work that they become repeat offenders due to the fact that employers will not hire them. Government agencies should also offer incentives or tax breaks by employing ex-offenders and background checks into criminal histories should be limited to seven years. Even ex-offenders deserve the opportunity to become active productive member's of society. And at the end of the day and starving man is going to eat. Lets him them do it the honest way and not fall back into the same trap.

Agents are experiencing lower back issues daily due to baggage scales being at ground level. Agents are therefore having to lift the full weight of checked baggage. The scales need to be raised immediately.

Tax the rich at the % rate before Ronald Reagan lowered it from 80% to 35%. Balance the budget on the backs of the people who can most afford it. Not the old and the disabled! Reagan's tax GIFT to the top 1% is unknown to the majority of Americans. At the least this petition will educate them to this deed done 40 years ago to the American tax paying public.

To be in opposition to a trade treaty being approved among USA and other western hemisphere countries, The Pan Pacific Partnership, that if implemented will result in less USA-based companies, less USA employees, and prevention, and if begun, destruction of native business development activities in the other countries. This treaty is being developed among all the--if approved--countries that will participate. There is no reporting by the standard media about this issue to the people to be affected. And, to underline, it is ongoing with the full cooperation of the Executive and Legislative Branches of the USA government.

A maximum of $3000 can be declared in long-term capital losses each year on tax returns. Given downturns in the economy over the last decade or more, individuals were impacted and significant losses incurred in many cases. I personally carry a year to year long-term capital loss carryover. It will take me a number of years to reduce the declared loss carryover to zero given we are allowed a maximum of $3000 each year which we can declare and deduct. Raising this allowable annual limit will benefit seniors on fixed incomes (I draw the line at 65+ only because that is where I am at) and improve individual tax returns.

Employment for those TOO YOUNG for social security and TOO old to get hired. Employment for those whom have been: laid off, stay-at-home moms (no experience say employers), those forced into divorce whose former spouses were the breadwinners (no experience say employers). We are the forgotten of those wanting and needing jobs to survive. NO GOVT. BENEFITS for US.

Only our soldiers, their family and friends have sacrificed for these wars! It is UNPATRIOTIC to not fund these 2 long expensive wars ... even if like me, one is against them. *** In 1950 and 1951 Congress increased taxes by close to 4% of GDP to pay for the Korean War, even though the high World War II tax rates were still largely in effect. In 1968, a 10% surtax was imposed to pay for the Vietnam War, which raised revenue by about 1% of GDP.***