In signing on to this statement, we agree that it is in the best interest of the Township of Abington to pass an ordinance banning discrimination in public accommodation, housing, and employment based on actual or perceived race, color, sex, religion, ancestry, genetic information, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, marital status, age, veteran status, mental or physical disability, use of guide or support animals and/or mechanical aids. An ordinance should also create a Human Relations Commission composed of volunteers appointed by the township to enforce the law. A local ordinance should ensure that complaints are dealt with in timely manner on the local level. We support the passage of the ordinance because it sends a clear message to residents, workers, and visitors that Abington is a township that is welcoming to all.

No child should begin the school year without a high-quality teacher and learning conditions that will support their academic journey. But that can only happen if our School Board recognizes the value of our teachers and the need to improve their working conditions. It is time for our experienced teachers to receive the compensation they have earned. The salaries of our teachers and education professionals have not kept pace with the cost of living in Central Florida. Our experienced teachers have not received a salary increase that reflects their years of service and the value they bring to our schools. Their salary is close to that of a new teacher, and it is time we let them know how much we value their service, knowledge, and commitment to our students by supporting a percentage increase. It is our students who will ultimately pay the price as more and more teachers are forced out of the classroom to make ends meet. Teacher vacancies in Florida have more than doubled in the past two years alone, and Orange County is no exception. The Orange County Classroom Teachers Association is currently fighting to make sure our teachers get the raises they need and receive compensatory time for the extra hours of work that sometimes are needed. In addition, we are working on improving working conditions by adding contract language that will ensure classrooms will have the proper temperature, will be clean, and needed repairs will be done and not overlooked. Realizing that students and teachers need a break in the middle of the testing season, we asked the district to provide a professional day (Student Holiday) at the end of April or the beginning of May. It is important for us also that teachers get the space conducive to the service they provide. No student should be receiving services or counseling sessions in a storage room. Extended Wednesdays should be used only when necessary. We proposed that those Wednesdays are only used when they are required by the state. We invite you to read the summary of our proposals at the link below.

Ban the use of lightweight plastic bags in the state of Michigan. The ban would include plastic bags provided at grocery store checkout counters and at all similar retail merchant locations.

Please agree that you have "no confidence" in Mr. Trump and his administration. Any such action is, of course, purely symbolic -- but if large numbers of US citizens agree, we can in this election year collectively send a powerful message to Mr. Trump and his administration that we do not recognize their legitimacy.

In support of the innocence of Reggie Ewing, who was sentenced to 100 years for an assault he did not commit.

Rodney Reed is literally fighting for his life again from Texas death row. The state is planning on executing him on November 20th. We cannot let this happen— both because the death penalty is immoral, but also because the state would be executing a potentially innocent man. More info at: http://www.nodeathpenalty.org and http://justice4rodneyreed.org/

We, faculty, staff, students and community members of Harper College call on the college administration and Board of Trustees to make our campus a formal sanctuary for undocumented immigrant students. We ask that the College: 1) Call on all campuses constituencies to publicly support making the campus a sanctuary for undocumented students. 2) Guarantee student privacy by refusing to release information regarding the immigration status of our students and community members. Refuse to comply with immigration authorities regarding deportations or raids. 3) Assign a specific office which will assist students who lack the privilege of citizenship on a strictly confidential basis. 4) Guarantee in-district tuition to undocumented students. 5) Assure that all students receive a campus and classroom experience free of hostility, aggression, and bullying.

In the wake of a disastrous defeat and a clear rebellion from regular Democratic Party voters, I am petitioning the DNC to allow it's rank and file contributors and volunteers to have a vote on the next DNC Chairman. Let the DNC propose 5-7 candidates who would be voted on only by those who 1) either contributed to one of our presidential primary candidates; or 2) who worked on behalf of one of them. The DNC surely has all of our email addresses--they have been sending us pleas for contributions for the last year or so. We have clear evidence of malfeasance in the DNC's actions during the primary season and we need to renew confidence in our party. This will be a good start. Is it OUR party or does it belong to a cabal of elites? Please sign and share widely.

Fannie Mae, a pseudo-government agency, has as of 5/31/2016 changed they way they treat student loans for one's debt to income ratio or DTI. They now require underwriters to take 1% of the ENTIRE balance of the student loan as your monthly obligation, among other unhelpful options, despite the fact that the ACTUAL payment may only be 10% of that amount under B3-6-05: Monthly Debt Obligations. This is clearly an attempt to keep out new buyers with high student loan debt in order to keep them renting and/or further prevent individuals from getting more space for a growing family. This new rule in no way helps prevent a purchaser from over buying as student loan payments are either fixed or tied to your income.

Permanent alimony law needs to be abolished as it creates more issues than resolving a divorce. Make divorces a clean break with only a short-term rehabilitative form of alimony without creating constant financial entanglement for former spouses under the hood of spousal support or alimony. Not-at-fault spouses should not be penalized if their former spouses are unemployable, disabled, difficult personality that keep them from gainful employment. The state should have other social welfare programs for dealing with this after rehabilitative alimony period is over. Limit to support should have a definitive end date, no more than 1/2 marriage length capped at a maximum term of 5 years. 3 years average. 1 year max. with reported Domestic violence.