I have been serving for a while. Most people I work with have two jobs to make ends meet, causing health issues, exhaustion and more. Most restaurant industries require servers. Every day is a gamble, and we understand that when we sign up for the job. We can't control if or when customers come in. We can control only when they are here and their experience. Either the wage from $2.13 needs to be raised or there should be a minimum automatic tip on the check. We work so hard doing all we can, and when you do your best and get nothing for a tip, when they could have gone to a fast food place. .... yes it hurts. If most people tried to serve, I'm sure they wouldn't succeed. It takes so much talent to do this job. I work two jobs myself to make ends meet. I've had many checks today, as well as other servers, not include a tip. These checks were $50.00 plus, and that's a lot of food and drinks if you think about it. Something needs to be done. Please help to raise the wage, or set an automatic tip amount per check.

On April 1, 2015, Seattle took its first step towards a $15 minimum wage by requiring all employers with over 500 workers to pay at least $11/hr. Despite being the single largest employer in Seattle, the University of Washington administration has argued that it's not obligated to pay $15/hr to campus workers. This means that over 12,000 campus workers are at risk of not receiving a much-needed wage increase – including over 8,700 student workers, who have seen UW tuition rise 82% since 2008. Academically, UW is ranked among the best universities worldwide; unfortunately, UW is also home to an ever-growing gap between the highest-paid administrators and the lowest-paid hourly workers. Instead of increasing student fees/tuition, or cutting research funding and campus jobs, the UW can and should provide living wage jobs for ALL campus workers by redistributing funds from highly-paid administrators to the most marginalized workers on campus. If every other employer in Seattle can pay at least $15/hr, so can UW.

I am very concerned about the potential for serious harm to innocent students, professors, or other staff if young immature students are allowed to bring guns onto campuses.

California is second only to Florida in the number of golf courses it has: 921. Together, those courses use as much water as 2.8 million people, or about 7 percent of the state's population.

It's time to give them back their land.

Allowing people whose brains are yet to mature and so have poorer impulse control than they will later in life to carry concealed weapons in the emotionally charged atmosphere of a college campus is in really poor judgement. People could be harmed and die needlessly if this passes.

The current Irony. Water is more scarce than oil. California's dire condition will affect the entire country's access to food. Turn the keystone pipeline into a water pipeline taking excess water (snow melt) from the North and East to the West.

What’s the matter with New Mexico? While the Governor and the Legislature bicker over a $213 million capital outlay bill and $45 million in road projects, New Mexico’s State Auditor reports that therre is $4.5 BILLION DOLLARS in funds approved in previous years that were never spent. Meanwhile, check out New Mexico’s disgraceful standing as perhaps the worst or near-worst state to live in: What’s the matter with New Mexico? POVERTY New Mexico has the second-worst poverty rate in the nation, with 16.60 percent of families and 21.5 percent of individuals living below the poverty level. Poverty rates for the entire country in 2011 were 11.7 percent for families and 15.9 percent for all individuals. Only Mississippi has worse rates in both categories — 17.40 percent and 22.60 percent, respectively. What’s the matter with New Mexico? CHILDHOOD WELL-BEING New Mexico was 49th in the nation for children's well-being in 2014 — Poverty rates among New Mexico's children, however, actually rose, even as they fell nationwide. In 2013, 28 percent of New Mexico children lived in poverty. In 2014, the rate climbed to 31 percent. What’s the matter with New Mexico? MORE POVERTY All 50 states saw a drop in middle class households since the turn of the millennium. But it's especially bad for the Land of Enchantment. New Mexico's 2013 median income was $43,872, a drop from $47,035 in 2000 when adjusted for inflation. For perspective's sake, Texas' 2013 median income ranked at $51,704; Colorado's was $58,823; Utah's was $59,770 and Arizona's was $48,510. It's also worth noting that each of New Mexico's neighboring states' share of middle class sit between 45 percent and 52 percent of all households—which are all higher that New Mexico. What’s the matter with New Mexico? WORST IN EDUCATION New Mexico came in dead last in a report card that measures education performance across the nation. The annual Quality Counts Report from the Education Research Center gave New Mexico a D+ when it comes to a student's chance for success. The index measures the role of education in a person's life from cradle to career. WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH NEW MEXICO WHEN WE HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX THIS? A New Mexico State Auditor’s report, titled ‘Money on the Sidelines, by the Government Accountability Office shows state agencies have $4.5 billion of unspent public dollars, including: • $2 billion resided in incomplete capital outlay projects and $1 billion in funds for road and water projects primarily in the New Mexico Finance Authority and the Environment Department. • $738 million for water projects in various state agencies’ funds. • $503 million was for restricted special funds ranging from the Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP) to Medicaid fund surpluses. • $42 million for education projects within funds at the Public Education Department and the Public School Facilities Authority. • $30 million in state agencies’ operational general funds. What’s the matter with New Mexico?

US diplomats have secured a historic, breakthrough: a framework that will ensure Iran can only have a peaceful nuclear program through rigorous inspections and verification.[1] This is perhaps the most significant foreign policy accomplishment of the Obama presidency, and offers the promise of a peaceful path with Iran, rather than a rush into an unnecessary war. But Republican war hawks—and too many Democrats who are siding with them—are continuing their crusade against the president and trying to sabotage this deal. We need all members of Congress to recognize that the alternative to diplomacy is war, and that they must reject the Corker-Menendez bill (Senate Bill 615), the Kirk-Menendez bill (Senate Bill 269), and any other legislative attempts to blow up the diplomatic process. References: 1. "Iran and E.U. Announce Framework for Nuclear Accord," The New York Times, April 2, 2015 http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/03/world/middleeast/iran-nuclear-talks.html

Our founding fathers' greatest fear was that the rich and powerful would corrupt our democracy. Their fears have been realized. One way of restoring our democracy is to make voting easier so the hard-working people of Hawaii have the time and energy to vote. Having your ballot mailed to you means you won't forget to vote, won't miss work, won't have to wait in line, won't waste gas, and can take your time to research the candidates and issues in the comfort and privacy of your own home.

This petition is about the Hawaiians and locals standing their ground against the government to stop the destruction of our Aina. Also to stop the slaughtering of the animals that live on Mauna Kea for the future hunters and Hawaiians.

Besides West Courtyard Drive, the Bridgehead neighborhood includes businesses on Bridge Point Parkway and housing units on Shepherd Mountain Cove and beyond. For those who live or work in this area, Courtyard at Capital of Texas (Loop 360) is one of only two possible exit points. The existing two outbound lanes are so inflicted by traffic congestion during the rush hour peak that it typically takes several long light cycles to reach the highway. The other exit requires traveling through a residential area one to two miles in the opposite direction, to Ranch Road 2222. Besides an incredible inconvenience to employees and residents alike, it's a safety issue with regard to emergency vehicle access. Ideally the roadway would be expanded from the stop sign at Bridge Point Parkway to include a right-turn-only lane stretching toward the highway, which would also allow more vehicles to turn left while the traffic light is green. This might require removing the median on West Courtyard Drive for half of its length, or shifting part of the median to reduce inbound traffic to one wide lane, or carving back the rockface behind the southern wall. Officials should work with the community to determine which solution is most desirable. While other measures like a more favorable light cycle may help in the short term, ultimately this improvement is required regardless of any anticipated or proposed upgrades to Loop 360 itself.