Veterans have a higher unemployment rate than the broader labor market. The idea that veterans come home and have trouble finding long-term employment is unacceptable.

Wisconsin’s construction industry supports 100,000 people in the state, with jobs located in urban and rural areas with public and private contract opportunities. Currently, a disparity exists between large and small construction companies being awarded public building contracts. Since 2015, Wisconsin’s five largest contractors were awarded 25% of the aggregate contracts, as large companies are often able to underbid smaller companies. Small businesses face hurdles when trying to increase their workforce, improve equipment and technology, and cut costs. Another issue facing Wisconsin is a workforce shortage of skilled workers who trained at certified apprenticeship programs, learning from experts in their field.

Small industrial towns have seen manufacturing jobs leave and have lacked the ability to attract millennial workers to their communities who will pay into the tax system.

Since 2008, wage theft has increased dramatically. Working families can barely survive on the low wages they receive, let alone when employers shirk responsibility of paying what is owed. States then lose out too, on taxes to be collected, and honest employers are put at a disadvantage. This problem is easy to mask because of minimal requirements for paystubs: many paystubs have only the name of the employee and the total amount paid - failing to indicate what hours and what rate of pay, or whether taxes were withheld. Many low-wage workers don't even know which contractor is paying them, so they don't know who to sue or complain to.

In New Mexico alone, over $2 billion in government procurement dollars trickled to out-of-state companies in two years. This problem is replicated in varying degrees all across the nation. Even when local firms are ready and willing to bid on government contracts, loopholes in the procurement code can encourage governments to hire out-of-state firms. This limits the economic impact state spending has on the local economy.

Small communities are impacted by job loss more significantly that urban areas because families often leave town in search of new jobs. This puts stress on schools, Main Street small businesses, and health care providers. Slowly, the town begins to struggle to even exist. Small towns also do not have the resources to search for and coordinate the many state and federal programs that may be able to help them solve the problem.

According to the census, The Bronx is the most diverse county in America. However, we have one of the poorest congressional districts, and no Community Foundation to help us direct resources to local organizations and programs to support community members, students, and entrepreneurs.

The current economic development incentives provided by the City of Birmingham are being utilized to revitalize downtown while making renting and home ownership less affordable for residents.

Nebraska is still struggling from a slow recovery after the recession, with high poverty and unemployment rates across the state. A state-wide strategic policy blueprint is needed for the legislature to increase the accountability and efficiency of state efforts to mitigate poverty.

Smaller cities throughout Massachusetts have experienced much slower economic recoveries from the recession, making it harder for entrepreneurs in these areas to successfully launch and grow their businesses.