California has the highest child poverty rate in the country. California is a global leader in environmental policy and progressive politics, yet we still have 1 in 5 kids—that’s nearly 2 million children—in our own state languishing in poverty. Let’s put this into context: If all the kids living in poverty in California were a city, it would be more than twice the population of San Francisco. We have the chance to turn that around. Right now, Governor Jerry Brown has bipartisan legislation in his hands that takes the critical first step to end child poverty in our state. Tell the Governor to act and sign AB 1520. Californians want action. AB 1520—The Lifting Children and Families Out of Poverty Task Force—will create an expert task force made up of leaders and stakeholders from inside and outside government that will develop a comprehensive, data-driven plan that lays the groundwork to eliminate child poverty. Families struggling in California need support now.

Better living conditions!

The victims of Hurricane Harvey urgently need federal assistance. But instead of pledging to give Texas the help it needs outright, Donald Trump is still threatening to veto funding bills that don't include money for his wall. And if Congress waits too long, Trump might shut down the government before the relief effort is funded. We can't afford to have Congress fold to Trump. Our representatives need to pass an emergency relief bill -- without money for the wall -- to ensure that help gets to those suffering from Hurricane Harvey. Sign our emergency petition to Democrats and Republicans in Congress: Pass a clean bill to fund relief and rebuilding in Texas and the Gulf Coast -- with no border wall.

The final public hearing on Revisions to Development Standards in the R1-A Districts will be at the planning commission Nov. 15th and soon headed to the Berkeley City Council. Planning staff and developers want to continue building two large luxury condos on one parcel that can include 2-story houses in the rear yard and 3-story houses in front yards, making housing less affordable for working families. Keep housing affordable: limit height on rear units to one story, limit height of front yard houses to two stories, increase required open space, and encourage backyard cottages and duplex buildings

Amory Street Partners is seeking community support for its Article 80 filing towards the redevelopment of 125 Amory Street. Demonstrating support from neighbors and business owners is an important step in the Boston Planning and Development Agency ’s Article 80 approval process. To learn more about this project, follow the link to the presentation from the last community meeting: https://jpndc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/125-Amory-Community-Presentation-May-16-2017.pdf For more information about the Amory Street Redevelopment, contact Noah Sawyer at [email protected]

Critical Mass in Berkeley; overpopulation, in general, is nothing new, but there is a genuine lack of green space in Berkeley. House the homeless and the poor and the schizophrenic. Keep the park for the People. The Park is relative to civil rights and free speech. 2019 will mark the 50th anniversary of People's Park and it would be a horrific shame on the community if the park would be destroyed simply for the sake of student housing, which can be built anywhere. UCB used eminent domain illegally to displace the original neighborhood and, lacking funds to create yet another student housing unit, created the blight in the first place. The park was an attempt by the community to create something beautiful. The UCB and, frankly, the City of Berkeley, have done everything in their power to destroy the park. Given the associated civil rights and free speech background linked to People's Park, the actions of UCB and The City of Berkeley seem determinedly fascist.

I affirm that Arkansans stand WITH, not against, the approximately 8,000 Arkansan youth who have already received or will soon be eligible for DACA. The phasing out of the DACA program would have detrimental, negative effects on our communities as well as our Arkansas economy, which has benefited from the skills and talents of these bi-cultural, bi-literate individuals as well as the additional tax, consumption, loan and entrepreneurial/ innovation revenue that our DACAmented have brought to our state. Arkansas is a state that believes in enabling the potential of all its children, including our DREAMers, because when we hold back some of our youth, we hold back ALL of our youth. The Supreme Court has already ruled on the legality of the original 2012 DACA program, and I do not want to see our state or nation go down this road again. Arkansas WANTS to see DACA further renewed and expanded, NOT terminated.

I waited two years for affordable senior housing in the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the most expensive rental markets in the country, where most housing wait lists have been closed for years. We love our well-maintained homes and safe community. But the President's proposed deep cuts to HUD and USDA housing programs would mean rent and utility increases immediately, less money for property maintenance, and even longer waits for future affordable housing. We need more affordable housing, not less. Tell Congress to stop these proposed cuts and fully fund affordable housing programs now.

Most TANF participants face multiple barriers to employment. Few (15 percent) of those with multiple barriers get jobs, while over 60 percent of those with no barriers gain employment. Work readiness (poor mental or physical health, education less than high school, lack of recent work experience, and lack of English-language proficiency) is a major impediment to employment. Two additional factors include having a young child and having a handicapped child. Other barriers include lack of child care for preschool children and those whose parents work at night, lack of before-after-school care, absence of employment opportunities in the community, mental and physical abuse, substance abuse, and care-giving responsibility for aged or handicapped relatives.

Two years ago, we took on Governor Malloy with a petition of over 15,000 signatures (in a month's time) to speak on behalf of the IDD community due to the never ending budget cuts for with the greatest need. It's time to take on Hartford and the legislators and Governor. The fiscal year closed without a budget, and due to the pending crisis, the control is left with Governor Malloy. We know he has no problem cutting the IDD as he has done every year since taking office. Here are the FACTS: FACT: Last year, DDS spent an astounding $45 million on overtime and more than $96 million to care for less than 270 people at Southbury Training School. This is a state run union facility with a population that had by 40% since 2010. (ie. direct-care worker with a base salary of $60,225, took in an additional $136,337 in overtime alone. Including fringe benefits, her compensation was $237,886.). By simply controlling OT and shifting those funds, millions can be redirected back into the funding for the IDD community! FACT: We need legislators to vote on a budget that funds Day & Employment Services for New Graduates and that does not eliminate Community First Choice. FACT: Governor Malloy will cut funding from community supports for people with IDD who are already receiving services in the community by more than $44 million this year alone! FACT: At the same time that key programs that serve our children receive double digit cuts (behavioral services- 11%; employment and day- 10%; rent subsidies- almost 13%), State employees at DDS are cut by only 2 percent. The never ending imbalance of fiscal irresponsibility. Its time to have a voice, a loud one and mobilize this community to make it clear that the July 18th budget cannot afford ANY MORE CUTS for the IDD community. If you care, know someone who supports this community, has a family member who is IDD, please sign this petition and pass it on. We understand there are many needs in the state. We understand the financial situation is in crisis. We understand we all have to do our part. We DON"T understand the fiscal irresponsibility serving the IDD. July 18th is the next budget meeting. We urgently need your support (anyone can sign the petition). Thank you!

Under Trump's proposed budget all long distance Amtrak passenger train services would lose federal support and could be discontinued. The national passenger train network would be destroyed. It would no longer be possible to cross the United States by train. As the resident of a small community I would no longer be able to travel to see family or pursue business and employment possibilities. Many other small towns across the USA would lose their ability to travel to the outside world to seek medical help, educational opportunities and job opportunities. The amount of federal support for these Amtrak services is very small compared to the rest of the federal budget. Many more tax dollars are spent in supporting the White House fleet of airplanes than is spent on the entire Amtrak budget. For more information on this issue go the the website of the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) at NARP rail.org.

Governor Bruce Rauner has not passed a comprehensive State Budget in Illinois for three years. The Illinois credit rating by Standard and Poor's was recently downgraded (again) to the lowest in Illinois history under Mr. Rauner's leadership. This issue will affect the state of Illinois ability to secure loans without higher interest rates. Illinois , to date, is the ONLY state in the union to have no budget ratified for 3 years and it's totally disgraceful. I expect political leadership to fulfill the job it was elected to do.Governor Rauner is expected to do the job he was elected to do, which is pass a state budget