The benches in front of the Apple Barrel bar on Frenchmen Street have been an institution for years - going back even before music was happening on the street. It is a place where the locals can sit and talk, and take in the spectacle. It was always common to see the great Coco Robicheaux and Jimmy May holding court there, as well as many New Orleans notables including Uncle Lionel, and many, many others. Apparently the benches were taken away in order to discourage homeless people from gathering there, but we feel that these benches are an important cultural institution, and there are better ways to deal with the situation. Please bring back the benches and help us enjoy Frenchmen Street.

On Monday October 15th, 2012, the New York City MTA announced several proposals for the fourth fare hike in the past five years. The fare hikes place an unfair burden on working families who are already facing a sluggish local economy and the ever-rising cost of living in the city. Call on Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature to work with the MTA to find a solution that keeps the public transportation we rely on affordable for all New Yorkers.

Many home owners are underwater on their mortgages and banks refuse or the process is to lengthy and too convoluted for many home owners to trust it will be helpful. Many home owners need help re-negotiating the terms of their loans, and while they say there are many programs out there, they tend to be no more than piece meal appropriate and results are, at best, minimal. What we need is for government to help home owners with substantial programs that force banks to re-negotiate in a timely manner.

One of my closest friends was hit by a car on State Street. She is in a medicated state to keep her asleep. Both legs broken, head injury, broken ribs and punctured lung. Surgeries to relieve pressure in her brain so she has a device in her head to measure her brain pressure, surgery to fix her femur in one leg, they left the other broken leg alone for now due to the brain surgery and surgery to fix her lung. Many people have been hit in the same area because there are no cross walks, flags or lights. This needs to change before someone else gets seriously injured and left in ICU in critical condition or even worse, gets killed.

currently once your income reaches 106,800 social security taxes cease being witheld from your pay and your employer no longer pays any more. Persons with multi-million dollar incomes pay no more than a hard working husband/wife team whose combined income may not even reach this level. These upper income people are more able to make contributions than low income wage earners.

We should eliminate the stopping of social security at 106,000. The wealthy stop paying this tax in the first few hours of the new year. This like all taxes should have no ceiling. This i belive would stop its bankruptcy

Because of the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Act persons with special needs are entitled to live in normal residential surroundings. But the over concentration of certain care homes in a neighborhoods needs to be regulated by the State to only allow two Residential Facilities in a residential community.

Homeless shelter for indigent people. Mentally ill person I made homeless so he could get help hasn't gotten any in 6 months. Only given citations that cost money out of his SSI check.

Obama needs to promise to defend and strengthen Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid in order for the American people to go to the polls and vote for him.

Rep. Paul Broun states that the science of evolution is a "lie from the pit of hell," and that the Bible should run "all our public policy and everything in society."

There is something HUGE happening that all residents of Sacramento County must appose URGENTLY. Our health, sleep, and property values are in serious jeopardy with the new Mather Airport Cargo Hub Expansion proposal. These low flying cargo planes will destroy our sleep, property values, etc. if it doesn't get sufficient opposition. The details of what is going on can be found at: http://www.keepthepeace.org PLEASE BUILD AWARENESS ASAP BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE! Sign this petition, and spread the word on facebook, twitter, by email, and any other methods you know. YOU ONLY KEEP YOUR RIGHTS IF YOU STAND UP FOR THEM!

With the level of traffic ever getting worse and aggressive driving on the increase, I would like to see Maryland update their Traffic Laws to what 44 states in the US already have and have the left lane of highways just for passing and slower traffic stay to the right hand lanes. In the 26 years I have been in MD, I have seen so much aggressive and dangerous driving as drivers speed in all lanes and make risky lane changes to get around these slower drivers.