Of all the states in the northeast which maintain an income tax, Pennsylvania is the only one which is restrained constitutionally to a simple flat tax. Unlike the federal income tax, which allows for deductions of other taxes, business and investment losses, and some of the expenses of running a household, the Pennsylvania income tax falls most heavily on the poor and on small business. Unlike other state income taxes in the area, the flat tax makes no allowance for higher tax rates on discretionary disposable income, not devoted to necessities.

Governor Sandoval, our children are Nevada’s future. ALL children in Nevada deserve the best teachers so that Nevada no longer ranks last in our nation in education. Nevada ranks last in the U.S. for high school graduates. In the top school districts worldwide, three things matter most: 1) getting the right people to become teachers, 2) developing them into effective instructors and, 3) ensuring that the system is able to deliver the best possible instruction to EVERY child. Nevada will dwell more on primary and secondary education. We need to make sure that ALL children in secondary education are prepared to meet the needs of our ever changing and demanding workforce, this means, preparing them for the world outside of Nevada and seeing that ALL are prepared to meet those needs through higher education. Without our children meeting the future workforce demands, Nevada will remain a workforce that only supports low-paying casino and mining jobs.

In 2010, the Food and Drug Administration began paving the way for approval of genetically engineered (GE) salmon. The first transgenic animal approved for human consumption, GE salmon would open the floodgates for GE cows and pigs, which biotech companies are waiting in the wings to finally commercialize after years of research and development. Not to be outdone by the FDA, this year the U.S. Department of Agriculture has already approved three GE products. First the department announced it would allow unrestricted growing of GE alfalfa, which could destroy the organic dairy industry and block farmers from the export market since many countries won’t accept GE-contaminated crops. The USDA has also “partially deregulated” GE sugar beets and approved a new type of GE corn that is designed to be facilitate ethanol production. The biotechnology industry has genetically engineered a fish that grows at twice the normal rate, so it can get to market sooner and make more money, faster. The FDA doesn’t even do its own testing of genetically engineered animals: it relies on information provided by the company that wants approval. And because GE salmon are being considered as a new animal drug, the process isn’t focused on what happens to people who eat genetically engineered animals. So on top of the health concerns posed by raising salmon in crowded factory fish farms that rely on antibiotics and other chemicals, the FDA could be adding the unknown risks of GE salmon to the mix. It’s up to us to demand that our legislators take action by supporting and passing HB 1192 and other measures to label genetically engineered foods in Colorado. This is a joint effort between Food & Water Watch Colorado, MoveOn Denver Metro Council and MoveOn Boulder Council. Link to HB 1192: http://www.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2013A/csl.nsf/MainBills?OpenFrameSet (type in "1192" in the search box. The URL keeps changing)

Our kids are killing each other and all they have are these rappers giving them false hope telling them they can sell drugs and that's all they see and believe the only way they can make. The programs that are in effect are just all fun and games nothing started while they are young to let them know how important education is for them and teachers are giving up on the students and once they reach 18 its already to late and they are in survival mode instead on school mode. I want to start programs that can and will motivate the kids while they are young and continue to strive and let them know drugs, guns, girls, and violence is not the only way to make it or be cool/ successful out here. I am open to any ideas and I need help because I won't stop trying to help these kids change their path.

We should have a national committee to bring all information into a single committee to see where there is familar policies and actions on a state by state level and incorporate those into a single policy to move upon each state's governing bodies. This will allow us to track state policies to build a national agenda of policy reform that will ensure the right of one person and one vote in all national elections.

I was a firefighter/paramedic for the city of miami for 29 years and went to many nursing homes and assisted living homes that were in poor shape. the governors and fl legislature has negelected this issue for the last 12 years.

I was a firefighter/paramedic for the city of miami for 29 years and went to many nursing homes and assisted living homes that were in poor shape. the governors and fl legislature has negelected this issue for the last 12 years.

Everyone in IN will be negatively affected by newly elected Republican Gov. Mike Pence putting conditions pushed by private insurance companies on accepting Medicaid, instead of bringing billions of dollars and thousands of jobs to Indiana. He needs to keep the interests of most people in Indiana at heart and keep them healthy..

Thousands of people and downstream communities like mine, whose drinking water and environment would be at risk of radioactive poisoning, have spoken, and the General Assembly acted to keep the ban in place. For you to even consider flaunting the will of the people by "instruct(ing) state agencies to draft possible mining regulations anyway," is an affront to democratic principles and makes a mockery of your role as a public servant of the people not corporations.

Newly elected Democratic Senator from Indiana Joe Donnelly is refusing to support Pres. Obama's efforts to reduce gun violence. Instead of helping his constituents he is helping the NRA leadership and gun manufacturers. Owning guns endangers gun owners and innocent children!

Mayor Bloomberg refuses to adequately fund our public libraries unless they sell off assets including crown jewels of the system, a plan that is wrong-headed and counterproductive.   We are in a period of steadily increasing use of libraries by all sectors of New York’s population, attendance is up 40% and circulations are up 59%, while the amount required to properly fund libraries is a pittance compared to other city expenditures.      Public libraries enrich their communities and are an important part of the tax base and a stable economy, providing jobs, community space and serving as a buffer against economic downturn.   They provide a safe haven for seniors during the day, teens after school, for parents with young children, for job seekers needing computers, for the growing number of freelance professionals, and for those needing literacy and technical skills.   Bloomberg’s plan would eliminate irreplaceable and historic crown jewels, such as the research stacks underneath the main 42nd Street library, and demolish Brooklyn Heights Art Deco style building, housing 62,000 square feet of library space replacing it with only 15,000 square feet of space in a developer’s high rise.  The removal of the Brooklyn Business Library from Brooklyn’s central business district in downtown Brooklyn, the hub of commerce, transportation, and next to universities is a travesty.  These are just two examples of a scheme to shrink New York’s public library system, eliminating resources that communities depend on.   We need to immediately halt real estate deals that involve selling any more branches to private developers until the libraries have been properly funded and until the needs of the public’s library system are the first priority. Libraries should not be hostages for development.  The city should cease the practices of bribing the public into approving bigger and denser development and pressuring communities into accepting libraries housed in smaller spaces with fewer services. Developer-driven partnerships that put developers in the driver’s seat and render competitive bids meaningless are bad public policy that must be avoided.  The practice of using developers who specialize in insider deals, who treat the communities poorly and have a record of failing to deliver promised benefit violates the public trust. There should be no elimination or sale of irreplaceable assets such as the crown jewel research stacks under the 42nd Street main library or elimination of the Business and Career Center Library on the border of Brooklyn Heights and downtown Brooklyn. There should be no premature library closings such as Donnell library, closed in 2008 and still awaiting a replacement.  Any library closing should have a binding contract for its prompt replacement with solid assurances, including full up-front payments and financing in place.   There should be no mass sell-offs of libraries.  Sales of library properties, if any, should be sequenced so that multiple libraries are not closed at the same time and only when it is in the best interest of the public's library system. “The knowledge of different literature frees one from the tyranny of a few”  -Jose Marti   Plaque on 41St Library Walk   New York’s libraries, the lifeblood of a democracy, have contributed to making our city economically vital and a cultural powerhouse.  We must not sacrifice it to shortsighted planning and the interests of powerful developers. We demand protection for public libraries, the city’s trusted place to learn, grow, be inspired, and connect with great minds.   Relevant articles: • New York Times: Critic’s Notebook- In Renderings for a Library Landmark, Stacks of Questions, by Michael Kimmelman, January 29, 2013.  • Wall Street Journal: Undertaking Its Destruction, by Ada Louise Huxtable, December 3, 2012. • Noticing New York: New City-Wide Policy Makes Generation Of Real Estate Deals The Library System’s Primary Purpose, by Michael D. D. White, January 31, 2013.   • Center For An Urban Future: Report - Branches of Opportunity, by David Giles, January 2013

Marijuana has been authorized for medical use in several other states because medical evidence shows that it helps cancer patients, glaucoma patients, and those suffering from chronic pain. Allow patients to use all the medical options available to them.