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Stop Rent in New JerseyNumerous families will be affected and it will bring devastating circumstances if not addressed immediately.433 of 500 SignaturesCreated by Pamela Santiago
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Ban Trump's Harmful News ConferencesOur very lives depend on muzzling this individual. If Mr. Trump suddenly disappeared from all media, as he well should have long before this crisis, we might have a shot at our lives returning to some semblance of normalcy.55 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Allene Swienckowski
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Covid 19 and REAL student loan reliefThe problem with the federal student loan program is long-standing and well documented including massive complaints and many lawsuits against lenders. I will reiterate a few main problems: Many students, including myself, have been victims of aggressive and predatory lending practices that started in college and continue throughout loan repayment periods. The interest rate at 6.5% - set by congress - is much too high and contributes to borrowers' inability to pay down loan principals. The so-called benefits of various repayment plans is part of the scam that benefits lenders the most: they extend the life of loans while continuing to charge interest daily at 6.5%. In effect, these so-called benefits create a situation in which borrowers are making monthly payments that may not even cover the monthly interest on their loan. Subsequently, it is next to impossible to pay off the loan and any small principal payment that a borrower might eke out is not enough to substantially decrease the interest calculation; this assures lenders a steady stream of interest income with no end in sight. Many student loan borrowers cannot move on with their lives or fully participate in the economy because they are strapped with debt. I am an older, self-employed mental health counselor, losing earnings because of Covid 19, I - like most Americans - am concerned about my financial well-being. I should be planning for retirement, but having gone back to school in mid-life, I am concerned about my student loans instead. Interestingly, the repayment program in which I participate (IBR) contains a loan write-off provision if I die! Most of us would prefer help while we're still alive! Juts like 2008 when the economy almost crashed, I hear plans of incentives, and bailouts for large corporations. I realize, for example, that airlines are hard hit today, but what about the little person? Where are the breaks and bailouts for those of us who work hard in this country every day and who bought into the American dream by furthering our education and now find ourselves paying the highest price for it? We appeal to all branches of government to do their part to drastically and permanently cut student loan interest rates now! Thank you!18 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Mona W
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Legalization of marijuana in TennesseeCompounds like THC and CBD play a role in helping the brain to build new neurons and then protect them from neurodegenerative diseases or injuries caused by stroke, concussions or head trauma. It will also give a great revenue for the state.295 of 300 SignaturesCreated by dameion raspberry
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Towson Distance Learning Grading SystemTowson University has almost 23,000 students enrolled. That’s 23,000 diverse living situations and learning styles. For many, online classes are not the right platform they need in order to learn at their full potential, which is why they chose to study on campus. This could be because in house courses are best for their comprehension of content or because they simply do not have the proper tools or living conditions in order to succeed. During this time of stress and uncertainty, continuing to grade them using the same rigor as on campus classes is not what’s best for Towson’s students. While one student might have the tools and learning capability to achieve in distance learning, the next two may not. Many institutions have chosen to give their students the option of a pass/fail system and Towson should to.20 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Elysia Cooper
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bring home our Chromebooksso we can have a better education while we are stuck at home41 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Sydnie Peluso
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What Child Care Centers Need to Survive COVID-19With COVID-19 spreading rapidly across Washington State, the health and livelihoods of center teachers, directors and owners are under threat, and families are scrambling to find safe care for their children. Issues that may appear to be temporary, e.g. frontline teachers and directors becoming ill and sites shutting down, threaten to cause permanent damage to the early learning system. As capacity decreases, children are withdrawn from care and parents are unable to go to work.Many child care professionals already earn low wages, often with no health insurance. This is true of centers that accept state tuition subsidies or those paid by families. Without immediate state intervention, the COVID-19 pandemic will push child care professionals to economic collapse. Here are some of the supports that our Early Learning System needs to survive this crisis: * Teachers and directors who are unable to work should receive unemployment benefits to cover lost wages without a repayment requirement for reimbursable employers. * All child care teachers and directors should receive free COVID-19 testing and free health care if they become ill. * The State should cover market rate tuition (including private pay) if parents or caregivers are unable to pay due to job loss or work closure. * If a facility must close due to COVID-19 related reasons, the state should cover market rate tuition payments to ensure all providers stay in business and supply financial support for re-opening. * Payments and direct assistance to centers should be based on enrollment, not attendance. * The State should procure and distribute to child care providers all health and safety supplies needed to care for children. * All background checks should be expedited within 24-hours for child care related employees. * Paid substitutes should be provided if staff members are unable to work. * New hires should be authorized to start work without completing pre- service requirements during this emergency. * DCYF must provide updates, in appropriate languages, to centers, teachers and directors on a regular basis, at least every other day, or more often as necessitated by fluid events. * Any emergency changes initiated by DCYF to the WACs that would change or increase regulations should be made in consultation with frontline professionals, including SEIU and WCCA. * All health and safety and licensing enforcement should be paused during the crisis except for the most serious situations that may result in the loss of authorization or license to provide care. * All Early Achievers mandates, ratings, and requirements should be suspended through the duration of the pandemic. * First quarter 2020 L & I and ESD employment taxes, due April 30, 2020, should be waived for all child care providers of 500 employees or less. It’s Time to Respect, Protect, and Lift Up Child Care Professionals!3,292 of 4,000 SignaturesCreated by Greater Seattle Child Care Business Coalition
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Suspend Rent and Evictions, Open the UCB Dorms to Homeless StudentsUC Berkeley, the city of Berkeley, and the entire country (not to mention the world) are going through both an economic meltdown and a public health crisis due ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Many tenants - including UC Berkeley students - are unable to pay their rent as a result of the economic meltdown and shelter-in-place order. Furthermore, so many students live paycheck-to-paycheck that they could never afford the added expense of paying backrent. Many of these students also do not have a "non-Berkeley home" they can return to. The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has responded by banning evictions (and defaults) in properties secured by Federal Housing Administration-insured (Fannie and Freddie) Single Family mortgages. On March 17, the Berkeley City Council passed an initial moratorium on evictions and suspended rent payments for tenants who been financially impacted by the coronavirus pandemic; the city council is expected to pass additional emergency legislation to strengthen the law to protect Berkeley residents and keep them in their homes. As a state agency, the university is generally exempt from regulations issued by a local government. As a result, the only way to protect students in university housing from evictions and unconscionable rent collections is for the university to voluntarily enact such a policy. Letting homeless and housing-insecure students live for free in otherwise empty university housing would only cost the university little to nothing. Additionally, the fact that the University is allowing students to move-out and receive a pro-rata refund means it is already budgeting for little to no revenue from housing for the remainder of the year. It is therefore clearly within the Univeristy's means to allow students already living in the dorms to not owe rent. Many students cannot simply move-out of the dorms and "go back home." For instance, they may not have another home to return to, may have a Bay Area job they need to support themselves and/or their family and which has not been halted by the pandemic, or their family home may be unsafe (e.g. if they've been rejected by their family for not being cis-hetero or if their family home is physically dangerous). This is literally a matter of life and death. If students are forced out onto the streets - either through a formal eviction or because they decide to move out early in order to avoid back rent they cannot repay, they could catch coronavirus and die, as well as infect other community members.468 of 500 SignaturesCreated by Berkeley Tenants Union ⠀
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Hazard Pay for Bristol Farms and Lazy Acres EmployeesWe show up to work and do our jobs during this time, even though it puts us and our families at great risk of getting sick.16 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Mallory McManus
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Freeze Rent Orlando Seminole CountyPeople losing jobs cannot work18 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Stephanie Kantor
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Mayor Dave Holness: Freeze Rent In Broward County Due to COVID-19"During the COVID-19 crisis, we all have a responsibility towards our communities to keep ourselves healthy and avoid situations that can spread the virus. As of March 17th, the state of Florida will close all bars, nightclubs, restaurants, and other small businesses in order to help us uphold that responsibility. While this is a step in the right direction regarding health, the effects of these sweeping business closures affect the livelihood of thousands of Florida residents that rely on front-of-the house restaurant, club/bar work or tips to make ends meet. Without a plan in place to supplement the income of these workers, and with no guarantee that unemployment benefits will provide the relief people need in a city with one of the highest costs of living in the country, we demand a moratorium on rent collection. Hard-working people are going to suffer at the expense of the greater good. While we don't deny the importance of instituting these closures, we would be ashamed and heartbroken to watch our government let people who rely on health and wellness care work, restaurant work, work in the entertainment industry (clubs/bars), and other small businesses face evictions, blows to their credit, or be backed into a corner financially through no fault of their own. As a spa business owner and full-time Licensed Massage Therapist, this is my sole source of income. So many other massage practitioners and business owners in the industry, are affected. Simply providing people with an unemployment payment of temporary paid leave at minimum wage would not be enough to cover their typical expenses. We need Broward County and Florida as a whole to put a moratorium on rent NOW in order to preserve the livelihood of so many hard working business owners, healthcare practitioners, and other affected industries during this time of crisis".25 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Acce James
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CONGRESS: Cancel Student Debt to Stimulate the EconomyThe Coronavirus pandemic is a health crisis like we have never seen before, and it is colliding with the economic crisis of this generation - student loan debt. Lost wages and medical costs will impact families across the country for weeks, months, and years to come. Adding the persistent burden of student debt is a recipe for an economic disaster for millions of everyday people. Labor shocks like those the pandemic are likely to cause will undoubtedly increase federal student loan defaults. Borrowers in default on federal student loans face having their tax refunds seized and wages garnished at a time when they can least afford it. We also call on lawmakers to immediately stop these actions that hit distressed borrowers the most. Canceling student debt in response to the Coronavirus crisis will help the 45 million people with student loans and stimulate the economy when it is needed most. It will allow borrowers to purchase the necessities their families depend on: food on their table, a roof over their head, and critical healthcare. In the long term, a student debt cancellation stimulus would help prevent or reduce the impacts of an upcoming recession. Student debt cancellation can boost GDP by up to $108 billion a year and would add up to 1.5 million jobs per year.1,311,529 of 1,400,000 SignaturesCreated by Natalia Abrams






