Monday, March 23, 2009

16.1% Unemployment in February

For January, we were one place in front of Flint, MI, tied for 356th out of 372 MSA's in the US:

356 Bend, OR Metropolitan Statistical Area 14.6
356 Monroe, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area 14.6
358 Flint, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area 14.8

The numbers for February just came out a few minutes ago, and we are number one in Oregon once again at 16.1% unadjusted, a stunning 1.7% increase from January. I wonder if we will actually surpass Flint and drop into the range of the Central Valley in California. It was grim and it's gotten even grimmer for anyone needing a job around Bend.

On a related note, I just talked to Trudy a little while ago, and she had a customer who works worked for Cessna come in and talk for awhile this morning. His last day was last Friday, and his comment about Cessna after this latest round of layoffs is that "...it's like a ghost town out there." Not good. He is single and doesn't have much for expenses, so he figures he is going to hang out and play for a while. Those with families to support are probably not that lucky. Every day I see more For Rent and For Sale signs. And more people like the "Single Father, Needs Rent Money, Anything Helps" guy with his two kids at the intersection of Reed Market and 3rd St. the other day.

I'm not sure what the solution is, but it's going to take a long time to get back to where we were even twelve months ago at 8.1% UE. We are now in the top 5% of unemployment in the entire United States.

That's really grim. Let's hope our Councilors don't decide to spend too much more of our precious tax dollars as things get worse. No more unanticipated $400,000 expenses to be paid out before June 30th, please.
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1 comment:

  1. AnonymousMarch 24, 2009 at 8:53 AM

    SOLUTION???

    Let's understand the problem. Man lives on deserted island. No jobs, no food, no water.

    Man either figures way to make boat to exit Isl, or builds big fire to attract rescue, but #1 is getting off the fucking ISL.

    There is no way in hell that a person can survive on a desert ISL when there is no food, water, income, or stores to provide food even if you had the money.

    Survivors will simply move to where there is food & jobs. Desert rats will stay on the ISL, because they like subsistence living. Most of those that moved to Bend in the last 20 years, didn't come here to live like a hermit in a shack.

    So there is the essential choice. Do you want to grovel in a shack, and cut your own firewood for heat?? Or do you want to live like where you came from, in the custom to which you feel comfy? The solution for 99% is get the fuck out of BEND.

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