Washtenaw County's unemployment rate rises to 9.6 percent in March
Washtenaw County’s unemployment rate rose from 8.9 percent in February to 9.6 percent in March as cuts in public education and the financial sector weighed on the economy.
The unemployment rate increase for the Ann Arbor region mirrored the upward trend in all 17 of the state’s major labor markets from February to March, according to statistics released by the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth.
“These months historically record the highest unemployment rates of the year,” said Rick Waclawek, director of the Bureau of Labor Market Information & Strategic Initiatives, in a news release.
Washtenaw County’s government sector lost 200 jobs from February to March, which the state attributed mostly to cuts at public schools. The region’s financial sector lost 100 jobs during this period, but the professional and business services sector gained 300 jobs.
Washtenaw County lost 2,900 jobs from March 2009 to March 2010, the state reported.
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Comments
Ronald
Sat, Apr 24, 2010 : 2:25 p.m.
I do believe King Egeler is also to blame. However, I had already thought that people that knew that.
BillR
Fri, Apr 23, 2010 : 8:26 a.m.
Ronald, cinnabar7071, and jcj, You all sound something like folks standing outside their burning shared home engaged in a slap fight, not over who should hold the garden hose, but over HOW to hold it. Meanwhile, the home burns. Not unlike Michigan's legislature that can't agree on HOW to stem the budgetary conflagration raging throughout the state outside its walls. We should be helping the folks in our legislature by providing them encouragement to agree on a plan that works. That way the 3/4 of a million unemployed Michigan residents might sooner get back to work. The point of the article wasn't about Bush or Obama or Engler, and who's to blame, it was about the March, 2010 jobless rate and the number of jobs lost in the county. And to just bring it home, Washtenaw County's rate is the LOWEST of all the counties in the state. The next lowest rate is 10.7% in Isabella County, the highest is 30.7% in Mackinac County (at the north end of the Mackinac Bridge). And the state average for March, 2010 is 14.9% (up from 14.6% for February). Check out the numbers for your favorite community or county at: http://www.milmi.org/cgi/dataanalysis/AreaSelection.asp?tableName=Labforce
jcj
Thu, Apr 22, 2010 : 4:28 p.m.
50 years from now the dems will still be blaming Bush! No doubt his administration bears a lot of the blame. But give me a break! However the free ride is about over for Oblabla. Sooner or later Oblabla is going to own part of this mess!
cinnabar7071
Thu, Apr 22, 2010 : 3:52 p.m.
Bush is gone now, and doesn't have any control anymore. Obama is pres. now and fully knew the mess he was getting. Ronald I'm surprised you didn't blame John Engler too.
Ronald
Thu, Apr 22, 2010 : 3:14 p.m.
Listen to this, We all have our dear x president Mr Bush to thank for this mess that we are in now. This financial mess that we are in. Well maybe not the rich, but damn sure the poor, or the have not. I use to live in Washtenaw County, and I truly loved it, I really did. I just had to get out. No work. Nothing, period. I really hated to live. I went to a different state to get enployment and sure enough, I was not here for 3 days and I got a job. Now I'am workin' and I feel like a man once again. Thanks for the memories, Ann Arbor. Ron