Business Council says unemployment numbers show need for new direction in Albany

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18
Dec
2009

ALBANY— “New York lost 2,500 private-sector jobs in November — another month of more bad news about the loss of jobs in our state,” said Kenneth Adams, president and CEO of The Business Council of New York State, Inc.

“We've lost 195,000 private sector jobs in the last year. If this trend continues, we'll close out 2009 with another 213,000 New Yorkers out of work. That's like the entire population of Rochester being out of work — it's devastating,” added Adams.

The New York State Department of Labor reported that New York lost 2,500 private-sector jobs in November. This marked 14 of the past 15 months where the private sector job count declined.

“To reverse this trend in 2010, Albany leaders must ease the tax burden on our economy and let employers create new jobs,” added Adams. “The private sector is suffocating under the crushing burden of taxes and a political climate that is hostile to job-creation. The Empire State has become the empire of unemployment.”

Manufacturing jobs are down 11 percent and construction employment is down 10 percent. The sectors of the economy that are hurting the most are the ones where skilled workers make things, namely durable goods manufacturing and construction.

Continuing a pattern that has held since the beginning of this downturn, only the taxpayer-supported educational and health services sectors saw an increase in jobs of 2.5 percent for the year.

“To create new jobs and economic opportunity for all New Yorkers government leaders must commit to lowering spending and easing the tax burden as they work to balance the budget,” concluded Adams.

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