Chicago taxi drivers have not had fare increase since 2006, and Chicago ranks 125th lowest cab fare of all U.S. cities and 27th of large cities. Since 2005, the cost of living has increased by 19.1% and lease rates for taxicab have increased 20 - 36% and gas prices have increased 60%. Taxi drivers work an average of 13.1 hours per day for less than $5.00 per hour. The United Taxidrivers Community Council (UTCC) calls for 22% increase in fares that would bring Chicago into the top ten taxi fares for large cities.

SUMMARY We, the undersigned, are petitioning Stony Brook University and SUNY State Assembly for the failure to provide sufficient amount of funds to reconstruct and reopen Stony Brook University’s on campus pool. Approximately, 26,000 students attend Stony Brook University, with over 300 clubs and organizations, and 16 NCAA Division 1 recognized Athletic teams and programs that offer a wide range of options for serious competitors and sports enthusiasts. Currently, one extremely important venue on campus that affects a multitude of successes at Stony Brook University is the on campus pool. In fall 2012, the pool was shut down due to inconsistencies in the architecture that needed to be fixed. Unfortunately, the critical maintenance fee is not currently going towards immediate repair of the pool at Stony Brook University and State capital budget has yet to be granted for the renovation of the pool. The closing of the pool on campus has negatively affected athletic teams and programs, academics for students in adaptive aquatic minors, student life and open swim (especially f or student Master’s teams), as well as student retention and recruiting for SBU overall. BACKGROUND Athletically, Stony Brook University is known for competition and excellence. There have been many successes in the athletics program since 2010. The pool itself is home to 16 NCAA Division 1 teams, including Men and Women’s Swimming and Diving. Other teams, including but not limited to Men and Women’s Basketball, Men’s Football, Men and Women’s Soccer, and Men and Women’s Track team have been noted to use the pool for exercise and training for competition. Specifically for Men and Women’s Swimming and Diving, no practices in the pool are allowed (only weight training in the weight room on campus) and the teams are in a state of “continuing competitive hiatus.” This status is discerning to students who have been granted scholarships to compete at Stony Brook University. Since the shut down of the pool in fall 2012, the Men and Women’s Swim and Diving team have stopped recruiting freshman and the true competition of the teams will not resume until a pool is accessible. The Women’s Swim and Diving team is fully funded with scholarships provided by the NCAA; the Men’s team, which is just as competitive, does not provide scholarships. The two teams are also not able to provide practice at local high schools due to local town club/master teams- there has been no accommodation for available times. Additionally, outside venues available to utilize would not be adequate for the students on the team due to a long distance trip to the location- this would affect an athlete’s practice time and overall studies as a student, not to mention the concern for safety for the students and more allocated budget. Additionally, between the years 2010-2012, the athletic swim and diving program grew with increases in recruitment and competition in conferences. At the time of the closing of the pool the Women’s team had 21 team members, while the Men’s team has 14 team members. The women’s team successfully competed in the ECAC competition in 2010, whereas the men’s team has competed against universities in Texas, Florida and California with success in the 100-200 yard backstroke for championships. In the past, Stony Brook University’s Swimming and Diving athletics teams were D3; at the time of the closing of the pool, the teams were D1 in the American East Conference; their team stature is comparable to SUNY Binghamton. After the closing of the pool, several athletes either dropped out from the teams and/or transferred schools that had a functional pool on campus to compete. The future of the Men and Women’s Swim and Diving team is hindered without the use of a pool on campus. Both teams have hopes to expand beyond New York State recruitment after the pool has been renovated as well with increasing recruitment and retention on campus in the athletic program. The reopening of the pool will grant recognition of the team’s coach; will maintain traditions of the swim team; and will allow for growth and competition n the athletic programs that Stony Brook University is well known for. Academically, students who are taking classes, for example the adaptive aquatics minor, are being negatively affected and cannot take impertinent classes to finish their minors/majors requirements. On behalf of student life , and Stony Brook University retention/recruiting, the failure to provide the students with an adequate pool hinders student experience and happiness. Additionally, the outside community to Stony Brook University has shown upset for not being able to witness swim meets as well as take part in masters teams. The inadequate funds to renovate the pool are a disservice to both the undergraduate and graduate students. As a result, the action to close the pool has had a hugely negative effect on the campus’s student life, especially in athletics and academics. We therefore petition Stony Brook University and SUNY State Assembly to reprioritize their capital budget projects as well as critical maintenance fees, to provide an ample pool for the entire student body to use.

Photo enforcement cameras are unconstitutional and representative of big business making money under the guise of government protection. Most recent studies have concluded that traffic photo enforcement creates more accidents, than it solves.

Funny, that if it affects congress that they do something about it. Meanwhile, the people whose lives have been most affected by the current financial situation, bear the greater burden.

American workers pay into Social Security and Medicare every pay period during their working years with the expectations that U.S. Government will make good on its promise to provide guaranteed, monthly benefit checks during their retirement years. Now retirees receive devaluated dollars with no buying power because the high cost of living and the INFLATION the U.S. government support.

American workers pay into Social Security and Medicare every pay period during their working years with the expectations that U.S. Government will make good on its promise to provide guaranteed, monthly benefit checks during their retirement years. Now retirees receive devaluated dollars with no buying power because the high cost of living and the INFLATION the U.S. government support.

On October 14, 2010, I got the call that my second oldest sister was dead. En route to the hospital, while stuck in traffic at a malfunctioning traffic light, I was photographed & subsequently received a camera ticket for 'running a red light'. How impersonal. Those cameras proliferate in lower economic neighborhoods. Then the poor who can barely pay Chicago's exorbitant rent, food prices & taxes let alone high priced tickets, get booted! I've seen 5 booted cars on the same block along with several foreclosed homes. It's ridiculous and needs to stop.

Innocent people have been held prisoner at the Guantanamo facility for over a decade even though world leaders and U.S. administration already knows they are innocent. We need to correct this immediately. Prisoners are presently exercising their right to refuse food and are being brutally force-fed with large tubes and this needs to stop.

Stop subsidizing establishements who do not pay real salaries to their waitresses and waiters but depend on cutormers tipping them. Why should we subsidize restaurants when it is their responsibility to pay a fair day wage to their employees including benefits? The clients responsibility is to pay for the meal and not the service. We don't tip nurses, bus drivers, drycleaners, grocery clerks because they receive salaries from their employers.

It has ruined the music industry by stiffling region artists and pushing medocrity upon the listener.

Elected officials should be paid at the median household income of US families so they are not insulated from the impacts of their decisions.

Elected officials should be paid at the median household income of US families so they are not insulated from the impacts of their decisions.