The Governor has proposed a budget that would increase the income tax by 1%, and decrease the sales tax by 1.75%. It would also increase the tax on cigarettes by $1 per pack, remove the sales tax exemption for soda and junk food, and add to the gas tax. The net result would be an expanded budget to improve transportation and education in the state, and a tax burden that is far more progressive than the high sales tax we currently have. A lower sales tax would also help businesses that border New Hampshire, which has no sales tax.

I am a 42-year-old female who has not had a job that pays a living wage in almost six years. I have a Bachelor's degree and fifteen years of administrative/clerical experience but I cannot find a job. Every day I sit at home out of work makes me feel very low and my skills are slowly ebbing away. There are many individuals like myself who through no fault of their own, find themselves considered used goods in the working world. We want to work, need to work and demand the right to work. We need more job training programs to help displaced workers like myself and others to make us more marketable in the job field.

Please do not create another tax on real estate sales of any sort.

The only way to have open, meaningful elections, and government responsive to the people, is to have publicly funded elections. This petition urges the Maine legislature to take a step in that direction.

Rhode Island can solve its budget crisis – Own a Bank! Restoring credit to the local economy must happen at the state level. The Fed is not the answer. Many states are taking the initiative with legislation aimed at establishing state-owned banks based on the successful model of the 93 year old Bank of North Dakota.

Stop Fox from canceling Ben and Kate.

Park Elementary has a bat problem, to the point children and staff members are getting sick! Bat feces causes respiratory problems! My 4 year old child has had every respiratory illness (to include losing her finger and toenails) and ended up having to have surgery. Once my daughter became well enough to attend school again, 2 days into attending she has become ill. My child has missed over 45 days of school. And never had an illness until she started attending Park Elementary. I was told by a teacher (not releasing names) that they have actually seen the bats swoop down towards the children during the day. From my understanding (and I could be wrong) I thought bats only move from dusk to dawn Please correct me if I am wrong. I have been promised by the principal (and a letter from Rid A Critter) that the bats are removed. But where is the letter stating the FECES is cleaned up. I have been notified by the media that the school was shut down due to this problem in the past. I NEED a guarantee that this school is CLEAN!! It is only fair for the staff and children attending Park Elementary School in Hamilton, GA.

Guns in church legislation

Governor Sam Brownback and republicans in the Kansas legislature are seeking to put an end to all unions in Kansas. HB 2023 and SB 31 are a direct attempt at silencing the hard working men and women of Kansas. As the Kansas Chamber of Commerce lobbyist, Eric Stafford freely admitted in committee "I need these bills to pass so that we can get rid of public sector unions", it's time to put an end to the war on Kansas workers.

The new NC legislature is examining the possibility of raising the sales tax to 8% in these economic times. They are using the surface appeal of no income tax to accomplish this. (Even Tennessee is considering reinstating their income tax.) This idea would only add to the burdens of the elderly, disabled, poor, and the middle class! How long would it be before the sales tax would need to be raised to 10%?

The Veteran Administration claims backlog is unacceptable and effects all Veterans from all services and their families. The backlog needs to be reduced in about every Regional Office in this Country. VETERANS deserve the benefits they were PROMISED.

It is awful to see the amount of human poundage that these mules must pull in the New Orleans heat