Arizona’s unemployment rate continues to rise, but state leaders have failed to outline a plan to grow the state’s economy. Gov. Jan Brewer once promised Arizonans a “massive stimulus package,” but the plan was quickly dropped.
Howie Fischer of Capitol Media Services reports:
Arizona's unemployment rate shot up another half a point in June, with further job losses still to come.
New figures Thursday from the state Department of Commerce put the seasonally adjusted rate at 8.7 percent. That compares with 8.2 percent for May and 5.5 percent a year earlier….
Overall, the industry has shrank from its 2006 peak by about 100,000 jobs - half of that in the last year alone - to 141,600 in June.
Statewide, the number of people working in June was 49,400 less than May.
The Arizona Republic’s Betty Beard reports:
Arizona has lost about 308,100 of its total non-farm jobs, or 11.4 percent, since the recession began in December 2007, according to the state Commerce Department. Job losses in June were 7.6 percent higher than a year earlier.
Every job sector has lost jobs over the past year. In addition to construction, other sectors hit hard are natural resources and mining, down 20 percent, and professional and business services, down 12.5 percent.
Retail jobs are down 8.8 percent. Furniture and home-furnishing stores saw a 23 percent drop in employees, and clothing and accessory stores fell 15 percent.
Hospitals are 2.3 percent ahead of last year, but in general medical hiring is flat.
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