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StumbleWhite House touts 27,000 new Nevada jobs as jobless rate spikes
Friday, April 16, 2010 | 1:42 p.m.
Sun Coverage
CARSON CITY – The White House, through its Council of Economic Advisers, says $2.9 billion in federal Recovery Act money has been poured into Nevada.
And it says that money is responsible for 27,000 jobs in the state through the first quarter of this year.
“From tax cuts to construction projects, the Recovery Act is now firing on all cylinders when it comes to creating jobs and putting Americans back to work,” says Vice President Joe Biden.
But figures from the state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation tell a different story.
In January, total employment in Nevada was 1,185,700. A report from the state issued Friday shows 1,185,600 employed in March, or 100 less than two months earlier.
Nevada hit a record high of 13.4 percent jobless in March. The number of construction workers statewide fell from 67,300 in January to 62,600 in March.
Biden said, “We’re not only providing needed relief and spurring job creation now, but laying a new foundation for economic growth that will create jobs for a long time to come.”
William Anderson, chief economist for the state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation, sings a different song. Nevada, he says, “continues on a turbulent path towards the bottom of the business cycle.”
He said employers shed 4,300 jobs in March with most of the losses coming from the construction sector.
“Any real turnaround in Nevada depends on sustained growth in the national economy and improved consumer sentiment,” Anderson said. “Nevada’s economy will continue to bounce along the bottom without any real direction.”
The federal Recovery Act was signed by President Obama on Feb. 17, 2009, and has a combination of tax relief, financial assistance and infrastructure projects.
Meanwhile, the Employment Policies Institute in Washington, D.C., said the outlook for teens getting a job going into the summer months isn’t good. Over the last three years there has been a 174 percent increase in the number of unemployed teens spending at least six months looking for work.
In Nevada last year, 15,000 of 47,000 teens 16-19 years old spent six months to find a job, according to the institute. That was a 31.5 percent rate compared to the national of 24.9 percent.
Michael Saltsman, research fellow at the institute, said minimum wage increases, like the 46 percent hike in Nevada’s minimum wage between January 2007 and July 2009, raise the cost of hiring and training entry-level employees.
Saltsman said, "In response, employers are reducing the number of low wage jobs they offer, or gradually moving to automated self-service systems."
The institute said it does not have the unemployment figures for this year so far for those ages 16-19.
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If this is how they are laying the foundation of the future I think I'll keep my tent.
The only state that is adding construction jobs is Maryland. Isn't that where DC and government jobs are growing with all the money taken from the other states?
It's the 41000 jobs that Harry Reid is personally responsible for. And to that Barry Husain guy in the White House, your nose is growing.
and with this new debacle of a healthcare plan, small businesses will be closing doors, and further the unemployment numbers.Their taxes went up, and now they are forced to supply ins or be fined, that tax break, for insuring people, is not going to make small business flourish.and when we have to come up with 60 million more in the Nevada general fund to extend mdicaid, there will be more cuts and more will lose their jobs, and then theres amnesty for illegals. We have 2nd highst unemployment in the nation, we are at the bottom nationally in education, mining and gaming in Nevada(our major revenue sources) pay the least taxes in comparison with those same industries in other states, and the liberals want Harry Reid because......
Recovery.gov shows 3,107 jobs reported in Nevada from Oct. 1 - Dec. 31, 2009. How exactly did we get to this 27,000 figure?
Hopefully once the fiscal year ends we will get some accurate data on employment in Nevada and how successful the stimulus funds were.
If the funds do not deliver, the agencies responsible for this money in Nevada must be held accountable for their performance. Let us remember that President Obama did promise increased transparency and accountability. Now is not the time for smoke and mirror numbers like "27,000".
Where are all these supposed jobs? More lies from this administration and Dirty Harry.
Is anyone really surprised about the Democrats? Here's other beauties that the Dems brought us:
Auto Bailouts
Failed $850,000,000,000+ Stimulus Program
Double Digit Unemployment
Oil Prices More Than Doubling Since the Inception of the Obama Regime
Iran Going Nuclear
Government Takeover of Health Care System Against The Will of the People
Wall Street Bailouts
Massive Expansion of Government
Shredding of the Dollar as the world's reserve currency
Alienating our allies, including the UK & Israel
Massive Inflation on the Horizon
Decrease in the American standard of living
Unprecedented number of foreclosures
Consumer Confidence at a near all time low
Government Gone Wild
Scrapping NASA's Constellation Program
This is worse than the Carter Fiasco. It's an all out disaster, as the apology tour continues, and we become the laughing stock of the world.
We don't have to take this poor to horribile performace of our Democrat out-of-control government. Go to www.firenancypelosi.com Get involved!
Just an observation about the LV area. Here now for about a week and while I have a small business (very small) I am looking for part-time work.
Oh the days where employers were offering incentives to new hires. When employers WANTED to talk to applicants.
Bush wasn't great - but he was good and jobs were plenty.
Now I inquire or call about job openings and I am treated as if I am disturbing the person on the other line or behind the counter.
I hope there will be ANOTHER 27,000 jobs created this month. :-)