To add to mortgage meltdown miseries, the credit panic, plunging home sales and rising foreclosures, here’s a new worry: a proposed cutoff of mortgage-interest tax deductions for all houses with more than 3,000 square feet.One of Capitol Hill’s most experienced and powerful legislators is drafting a “carbon tax” bill that would do precisely that. Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, expects to introduce comprehensive climate change reform legislation once Congress returns next month.

Q: I was renting a room in a home but I have since had to move. I have been going through some tough times (anxiety, depression, etc.). The living conditions were unhealthy for me so I am now stuck trying to find someone to sublease my room. I simply can’t afford to pay rent at two homes. Is there any way to break a lease in this type of situation?

Property manager Robert Griswold replies: While it is understandable that your personal issues are serious challenges for you, they are not legal grounds to terminate your lease.