A D V E R T I S E M E N T
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
ADVERTISEMENTS
We’re No. 2 . . . in unemployment, that is.
Oregon’s March unemployment rate of 12.1 percent is the second-highest in the nation, behind Michigan’s 12.6 percent.
According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ reports released Friday morning, the national unemployment rate hit 8.5 percent in March. Oregon had the largest monthly increase in its unemployment rate in the nation, a 1.4 percent leap from 10.7 percent in February. The state also reported the largest jobless rate increase from a year ago, a 6.6 percent jump from the 5.5 percent in March 2008, the bureau reported.
Across the nation, 46 states saw monthly unemployment rate increases as the economy continued to sputter and businesses shed jobs. Only North Dakota and the District of Columbia showed unemployment rate decreases, the bureau reported.
The top states in unemployment for March are Michigan (12.6 percent), Oregon (12.1 percent), South Carolina (11.4 percent), California (11.2 percent), North Carolina (10.8 percent), Rhode Island (10.5 percent), Nevada (10.4 percent) and Indiana (10 percent).
Oregon’s 12.1 percent rate for March was the highest it’s been in 26 years. The state also lost 5,000 jobs in March, with a total of 256,400 people out of work.
March’s unemployment rate was one of the highest the state has recorded since it started publishing the data in 1947. There have been higher unemployment rates in past recessions. In the early 1980s, the rate briefly hit 13 percent. In late 1979 it was 12.9 percent. In the 1950s, the rate hit 15 percent.
nice job libs.
(email verified)
Fri, Apr 17, 2009 at 12:25 PM
This story cannot possibly be true.
Hell, we've got so many jobs in Oregon that the Portland City Council is spending $250,000.00 on a day labor site to give some of those many jobs to illegal aliens!
(email verified)
Fri, Apr 17, 2009 at 01:03 PM
Many politicians in Oregon want the state to be an environmental leader in the green movement which includes handing out excessive taxpayer subsidized energy credits like free candy, reducing employment opportunities with the mindset of getting people out of their cars amid incomprehensible subsidies for bicycling and transit, and focusing on a campaign crusade to attract only green jobs and companies. The results: Oregon’s unemployment is rising faster than any other state, now the second highest in the nation. The two go hand in hand! Who said zealous environmental protectionism and socialistic (progressive) political control doesn’t hurt the economy? We can all thank Oregon’s clueless Governor, the now Mayor and want-a-be dictator of Portland, and those environmental zealots in the legislature for where Oregon’s high unemployment rate stands today.
(email verified)
Fri, Apr 17, 2009 at 01:05 PM
Ted's doing a bang-up job, isn't he. Let's revisit this article during the next election. Oregon voters, especially those with Portland addresses, seem to have very short memories.
(email verified)
Fri, Apr 17, 2009 at 01:12 PM
What the two above posts are is easy to write, venting is good for the soul sometimes.
The part to recall these jerks ..is not easy to do,however.....if you do not via a recall, take back control of out of control electeds, then what is going on now, is just the first part of a sinking ship we call Portland, and the state called Oregon.
(email verified)
Fri, Apr 17, 2009 at 01:31 PM
What Happened? It's more than a Joseph Heller novel.
Did the forest industry just shift gears?
Did the fishing industry just dry up?
The great fear is caught in the front page shot of the couple in the motel room. What happened?
The real question is what happens next?
(email verified)
Fri, Apr 17, 2009 at 02:15 PM
Congratulations Ted!!! Socialism is great until you run out of other people's money! You people learn nothing from the lessons of history and are doomed to repeat them, time and time again!
(email verified)
Fri, Apr 17, 2009 at 03:17 PM
Oh my, let's chase away any manufacturing firms that want to settle here by not giving them tax breaks and then wring our hands because there are no jobs. The biggest employers in the metro region are the governments... Anyone else see a problem with that????
(email verified)
Fri, Apr 17, 2009 at 04:55 PM
We're "green", we're fighting global warming, we love our Messiah Obama, and we're all unemployed! What's wrong with this picture???A lot of good it's getting us for being the trendy ones. Is this the change we were voting for? Where's our Messiah today, is he home in Washington, D.C. working for us and fighting the recession? No, he's at another overseas junket telling the world how America is mostly a bunch of arrogant jerks and no longer primarily a Christian nation. Maybe he'll come home soon on his Boeing 747! (Does it run on bio-fuel or something?) Nah, on 2nd thought, stay overseas Obama, don't come home and spend more of our childrens' and grandchildrens' money so that taxes have to be increased even more....
(email verified)
Fri, Apr 17, 2009 at 05:31 PM
With our high income tax rate and lack of a sales tax plus being a very livable place, Oregon will always tend to have higher than average unemployment. People living in some other places move when the jobs dry up. Here they stick around until something else turns up. This recession is particularly challenging because the whole country is in it at the same time. The Dakotas do have low unemployment, but I believe that is because people don't stay there when they lose their jobs AND because there aren't as many white collar jobs there.
(email verified)
Fri, Apr 17, 2009 at 07:11 PM
Another reason for our high unemployment?
Let's not forget our high minimum wage. It is ridiculus to pay a 16 yr old working at McDonalds $8.40/hr This number is also close to the highest in the nation.
(email verified)
Fri, Apr 17, 2009 at 09:49 PM
The curse of scenic states in true blue form: "Big sky, small paychecks".
People in Oregon don't want to leave when laid off. This is a major contributor to the high unemployment rate.
It looks they would rather live in misery among snow-capped mountains and tall fir trees than in MacMansion in Nebraska.
(email verified)
Sat, Apr 18, 2009 at 06:59 AM
Hello, Big Sky? Montana is the Big Sky state, has great scenic beauty, AND a low unemployment rate. So, it must be something else causing the second highest unemployment rate here in Oregon and the primary factor is government's attitude towards business. In Oregon it is very hostile and especially so in Portland.
But, there is some good news. The multi million tax dollar soccer deal is going to bring about 160 fulltime jobs to offset our high unemployment. Let's all cheer that great business decision.
(email verified)
Sat, Apr 18, 2009 at 07:55 AM
12.1% will be nothing come july 1st when local governments (for good or bad) start thier layoffs due to budget constraints. I know, I know we all hate government and taxes but with the idiots we elect around here they will chop core programs (cops,jails,DA's and all other forms of public saftey) and continue to fund feel good crap and pet projects and an ever ending corp of consultants to do the jobs we elect politians to do.
(email verified)
Sat, Apr 18, 2009 at 03:31 PM
Blaming the current administration (statewide and national) weak and just ignorant. The job losses starting way before the election ended. (I'm 100% republican so don't be putting me in with that "other" party.) I lost my job ("is was fun Intel") because of poor revenue and the bean counters predict more of the same. My friends are experiencing the same.
As to the comments about people not leaving the state. That theory does make some sense. I'm native Oregonian, which I think is a minority now, and I ask every time I meet someone who isn't local why they moved here. They all talk about nice people, proximity to the coast and mountains, traffic that is bearable, blah blah blah...when in my head I'm thinking "who the f*#& told you about Oregon?", "Who the hell let you in door?" I was born around the McCall years..."Come visit us again and again, but for heaven's sake, don't come here to live." I saw it a lot bringing in out of state resources when the existing pool is just as good.
With the news of "near" record high unemployment I can only hope all those U-Hauls will turn around.
(email verified)
Sun, Apr 19, 2009 at 07:07 AM
Thanks Ted, Thanks Sam.
Now what?
(email verified)
Sun, Apr 19, 2009 at 04:15 PM
The point here folks is that we are 49th out of 50.
All the excuses offered about what a nice place this is to live, blah blah, still do not explain 49th status. Folks we are not 25th or 30th...we are freakin 49th. Having traveled the USA on business, I can tell you Oregon is not nirvana. There are many great places to live in this country both socially and recreationally and obviously they have lower unemployment.
There are many reasons from the spotted owl and enviro's wrecking rural economies (which have the highest unemployment rates..much higher than Portland) to the general regulatory unfriendliness of this state.
Until the governor and the legislature take a different posture relative to for-profit entities that provide the jobs that create the opportunity to tax income this will be a backwater state. A little less nirvana expectations on environmental issues would go a long ways to repair the job killing image of Oregon, too.
(email verified)
Sun, Apr 19, 2009 at 05:01 PM
Oregon's lack of sales tax is an economic advantage. Let's keep all the Vancouver people continuing to cross the bridge and buy their stuff in Oregon. Instituting a tax on the poor (sales tax) will only slow down our economy, and create another govnt. bureau. Oregon is still great.
(email verified)
Mon, Apr 20, 2009 at 02:20 PM
DEMORATS IN THE HOUSE
DEMORATS IN THE SENATE
DEMORATS IN THE GOV'S HOUSE
And all they could do is come in second! HOW INCOMPETENT!
We should be #1 damit!
Keep trying TED!
(email verified)
Mon, Apr 20, 2009 at 04:44 PM
Browse archive
The Portland Tribune
News feed
Find a paper
Enter a street name
or a 5 digit zip code
Our Portland website design and marketing company created custom websites for these top providers of Portland pest control services, Portland cleaning services and Portland florists.
Search engine marketing, website templates, portland web design and website promotion by Webfu // 503.381.5553
New down and fleece north face jackets. The largest selection of North Face Jackets available online. Free shipping on orders over $40.00
See the latest styles of ski jackets and backpacks from The North Face.
Become a Naturopathic Doctor. Developing future leaders in health care. Named by The Princeton Review as one of the best med schools in the country. Bastyr University.
Facebook
Digg
Del.icio.us
Newsvine
Stumbleupon
Reddit
Re: Oregon No. 2 in national unemployment for March
Iam leaving Oregon becuase were my sister lives in North Dakota has 5.1% jobs are not here,and I think its a shame how things have allowed to get this way.
"Steven J Plebuch"
(email verified)
Fri, Apr 17, 2009 at 11:41 AM