The Federal Poverty Level (FPL) should be raised inasmuch as the current $11,170.00 (annual income for a single individual) is unrealistic considering today's prices. Prices continue to rise through all aspects of the U.S. economy with no end in sight. The current FPL does not allow many individuals and families access to much needed public and private assistance with things such as medicine, child care, utility bills, etc.

There are a couple of issues within New York City’s affordable housing market. The first issue is the rent guidelines applicants are governed by, next is that the affordable housing market marginalizes families outside of many locations within NYC, and is increasing the amount of homeless people in New York City, as a result of high rent costs. The rent guidelines disenfranchise many individuals and families in the process. Municipal city workers receive five percent preference for these affordable units, and are not able to utilize it because they usually do not qualify.

Alan Simpson said that Social Security is a milk cow with 300 million teats. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20014698-503544.html People, like me, who are drawing social security shouldn't be referred to as Social Security Teat Suckers.

State Funding

People living with mental illness don't typically make the most popular list but in North Carolina THOUSANDS of these individuals who currently have housing and security and are about to loose all of it. North Carolina in an effort to respond to concerns regarding the safety of our aging population living in Adult Care Homes reacted without prior consideration of the consequences. Beginning last month, the first of many Adult Care Homes across this state were given a determination of "Institute of Mental Disease" & stripped of the ability to get paid if 50% their residential population had a primary mental health diagnosis. The result is thousands of individuals with mental illness across NC will be put out on the street over the next several months. In addition, as these people need assistance with medications and behavioral health management, they will be using the hospitals, emergency departments, and/or ending up our overcrowded jail system.

An alternative to paying back child support arrears without jail. Ive been unemployed before and have fallin behind in child support payments and have gone to jail because of it. I think its a horrible way to quell overdue payments. Not only does the mother not get any arrears but jail prevents the offender from getting employment, which is the very reason for the situation.

“The United States forgave the British Troops for damaging 3,000 volumes of irreplaceable Government Property in 1815, when British Troops burned down the Capitol Building in Washington. Why should Library Patrons, which donate books and support causes, be fined a daily fee and the cost of book and a administrative fee when citizen fail to return a book, worth less the $1.00, a pardon system or a system in place where books can be renewed more the three times is needed, this situation feels like the Delaware Library System, has inflicted a genocide on it’s own patrons.” Library of Congress. Fascinating Facts. http://www.loc.gov/about/facts.html 1. All Libraries need to come with a way to collect Library fees, from books taken out by children, fees should not exceed the value of the books, returned late, as Libraries are a non profit. 2. A deactivated library card should be able to be reactivated, without any type of penalty placed on the individual, since this should cost nothing, the library should not make a profit and serve the community. If giving each child a separate library cards for each domicile is a problem, then at least come with a system for the children to use the library, while the issue that happened while traveling between the children joint custody life, should not ban them from the library, while in childhood, as it is common reaction for one or both parents to simple stop using the library, if to many debts come from books returned late or lost. 3. Lost books are charged a administration fee, in addition to the cost of the book, penalties where meant to redeem people, not for a non profit to make a profit and lose underage children’s business and adults, the bottom line stop parent from taking children to the library, books are left in schools, playgrounds and buses and become beyond the control of the parent in charge.

I have asked bank of America to modofy the terms in loan all I need is to try to get a lower interest rate. I tried to refinance but they do it only if come up with over a 100 k which is ridiculos. I have asked for todaus value of my properru and is worrh a little more than the principal. I ve been trying tjis for almost three years they wont do it, im desperate.

Child abuse. Law enforcement, attorneys, social services are not equipped to properly handle domestic and child abuse. They are reading from a Manuel and do not understand the absolute fear and control the abuser has. A social worker or guardian ad litem should have expierenced this fear. In rural counties everyone knows everyone and the GAL should be from out of the county to be protected and un-biased.

The House of Representatives is considering throwing 3M people off of food assistance by slashing the Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP) which Republicans demonize by its old name, "Food Stamps." A family of three, with a total income of more than $24,100 annually, would be out of luck, and food. This is yet another GOP anti-woman bill, as a large amount of public assistance goes to poor working single mothers.

I have a friend whose family member is struggling to overcome a substance abuse habit and is in a recovery program. The funding received is General Assistance which is a tempory funding stream. Corbett's budget cuts this lifeline for these struggling people yet gives a 1.6 billion tax credit to Royal Dutch Shell, the 2nd largest company in the world. This family member will be out on the streets along with many others. Tell Governor Corbett and lawmakers to restore General Assistance.

Surviving spouses, especially widows, have been denied funds accumulated by their spouses during their working lives simply because they were too young. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a widow is, "a woman who has lost her husband to death and has not married again." Disabled widows are especially at a disadvantage because they no longer have the funds to make ends meet.