In Local News
The Local Puppy Trainer tells us that Local jobless rates rose in June; rates also increased across state
David Goetsch, a local economist and vice president for community relations and workforce development at Northwest Florida State College, also expected to see an increase, but for different reasons.
“Because of the looming problem with the budget in Congress where nobody knows if they’re going to compromise, let it fail or raise the debt ceiling, nothing is happening in government,” Goetsch said. “There’s no government spending going on right now. Think of all of the employers nationwide, in the state and locally who have government contracts — nothing is happening. They’re not getting any new contracts and then the contracts they have, they’re not getting paid. Payment is going out to 120 days instead of 30 days. What that’s doing is forcing layoffs.”
Goetsch said he expects to see local jobless rates level off for July. However, depending on what happens in Washington, D.C., he said it is possible another recession could result.
“We’re inching toward that,” Goetsch said.
The rate went up even though the tourist sector was hiring for the summer. We are in deep yogurt, but no one in the DC Bubble seems to have noticed.
