WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

Revenue uptick: State is ‘moving in the right direction’ … but ‘Southwest Washington still needs jobs’

According to the November revenue forecast, the state of Washington’s “projected General Fund revenue” went up “by $25 million, compared to the previous forecast in September.” The next forecast will come out in February.

“Undoubtedly, this positive revenue news demonstrates that our economy is moving in the right direction. No, of course we’re not out of the woods. We’re not yet free-and-clear of the recession that for more than five years has been devastating state, national, and international economies.

“But no matter where we’re at in terms of the economic recovery, the fact remains that unemployment is still far too high in Southwest Washington. Joblessness is still a drag on our local economy. Southwest Washington still needs jobs.

“The national unemployment rate is around 7.3 percent, and our state’s overall rate is 7 percent. Clark County’s jobless rate, however, remains well above 8 percent. Joblessness is quite a bit more severe in our county than in any of the other large counties in Washington. That is unacceptable.”