Chart by Calculated Risk Blog, click for original post
The United States lost another 20,000 jobs last month, and December’s totals were revised up to 150,000 jobs. The unemployment rate dipped to 9.7%, but the standard caveat about people no longer looking for work still applies. Since the Great Recession began, 8.4 million jobs have gone away, and many economists fret, that, in the immortal words of Bruce Springsteen, “these jobs is going boys, and they ain’t comin’ back.”
In California, the picture is even bleaker. California’s unemployment rate is still in the 12.4% range.
I feel fortunate to be living in Santa Clarita during these times. At least our unemployment rate is holding steady at 7.4% in December, according to a preliminary Bureau of Labor Statistics report. But all around us, stores are closing up shop. There are many vacancies all around the city; Town Center Drive would look abandoned if it weren’t for the few restaurants still operating there. Even the once-powerful Creekside auto row is a shadow of its former self. Been by the Saturn dealer lately? It’s now practically a used car dealership.
There are some exciting things coming -Sprouts for one- but overall the pace of “For Lease” signs is only increasing and I haven’t even looked into the residential market lately.
But at least I’m employed. I wish the best to any SCVTalk readers who have been hurt by this terrible recession.
I think I just saw the great flying spaghetti monster
My husband and I feel blessed to still have steady employment. A few friends and neighbors have lost their jobs and they might never be employed again. Sad but true.
I hope we can keep this in mind before we start pushing for the city to expend resources on unnecessary projects. The city council loves to claim the city is solvent, but they fail to mention that there are 30 plus FTE positions vacant. If you have not noticed, street maintenance, etc. is wanting as well. I doubt the true financial health of the city will be voiced in an election year. Bob Kellar has come close to expressing the true budget concerns, but even he was vague at best.