Pew Charitable Trusts

Seven percent of community college dropouts leave because of an unplanned pregnancy, according to the American Association of Community Colleges.

Schools nationwide are reporting teacher shortages that go beyond the chronic struggle to fill positions at low-income schools and in subjects such as science and special education. Oklahoma, where education funding has been slashed, may be the hardest hit state.

As sales tax collections slow and the nation becomes a service-based economy, many states are considering expanding the universe of goods and, especially, services that are subject to the sales tax.

As affordable housing vanishes for low- and middle-income Americans, lawmakers in Minnesota and other states are being forced to look for ways to encourage new construction and ease a housing crunch that increasingly eats up more of people’s income.

Generally speaking, the longer a project drags on, the bigger the price tag. More money is spent on contracting costs, machinery, staff time, rent and fuel. Inflation takes a toll, as does the need to pay for temporary repairs to existing routes.

“The ideological opposition to the president will have to start fading when he’s out of office. At that point, the facts and the evidence will start to matter more.”