Editorial: Unemployment Woes - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Editorial: Unemployment Woes

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  • Editorials

  • Thursday, May 23 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-23 23:20:04 GMT
    Anyone who takes advantage of one of Alabama's most treasured assets – the elderly – should face swift and steep consequences.  Thanks to a bill passed in the final hours of most recent legislative session that
    Anyone who takes advantage of one of Alabama's most treasured assets – the elderly – should face swift and steep consequences.  Thanks to a bill passed in the final hours of most recent legislative session that

  • Tuesday, May 21 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-21 23:20:08 GMT
    The horrific tornadoes that ripped through Oklahoma this week bring back all too familiar memories for Alabamians as memories of April 27, 2011 are still fresh in many minds. When Alabamians were in need
    The horrific tornadoes that ripped through Oklahoma this week bring back all too familiar memories for Alabamians as memories of April 27, 2011 are still fresh in many minds. When Alabamians were in need

  • Thursday, May 16 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-16 23:20:04 GMT
    In my editorial on Tuesday I chided our legislators for being the last state to pass a no-brainer  bill legalizing home brewing.  Today I want to challenge them to be one of the first states to pass another no-brainer;
    In my editorial on Tuesday I chided our legislators for being the last state to pass a no-brainer  bill legalizing home brewing.  Today I want to challenge them to be one of the first states to pass another no-brainer;
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Plentiful jobs.

Always has been and always will be the mark of a strong economy.

Unemployment is now just under 11% for the state of Alabama, double what it was last year at this time.

In our region, the numbers are worse, exceeding 25% in Wilcox County, 21% in Dallas County,  18% in Lowndes County, and 16% in Butler and Bullock Counties.

Unemployment is also greater than the state average in Macon, Coosa and Tallapoosa Counties.

The unemployment rate exceeds 10% in Montgomery and Covington Counties and is just under 10%  in Autauga County.

With hundreds of thousands unemployed, tax revenues are down so job cuts will likely continue in state and local governments. 

It is welcome news that the stock market is back around the 10,000 mark.

But without job creation, our recession will linger.

We need to turn the stimulus money into real jobs that will spawn more jobs.

Until we do and tax revenues improve, our economy will not improve.