McAuliffe touts unemployment rate two weeks ahead of elections

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/mcauliffe-touts-unemployment-numbers-two-weeks-ahead-of-elections/2015/10/20/9750eeda-774f-11e5-bc80-9091021aeb69_story.html

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RICHMOND — Virginia’s unemployment rate fell last month to its lowest level since the advent of the Great Recession seven years ago, Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced Tuesday.

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 4.3 percent, tying the state’s September 2008 jobless rate. The 0.2 percentage point dip represents the third consecutive monthly decline.

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is below the 5.1 percent national rate, which was unchanged in September. Virginia’s rate was lowest among all Southeast states and was tied with Wisconsin for the third lowest among states east of the Mississippi, McAuliffe’s office announced.

McAuliffe (D) called an impromptu news conference on Capitol Square to trumpet the numbers, which were released two weeks ahead of elections that will decide which party controls the closely divided state Senate. The governor has made growing and diversifying Virginia's defense-heavy economy his top priority given Washington’s budget gridlock and automatic federal spending cuts known as sequestration.

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McAuliffe said the numbers were “great news for Virginia” and a “real testament to what’s happening with our economy, people working together to build that new Virginia economy. We still face headwinds, sequestration, Congress’s inability to make decisions and get things done. Even with that, even operating under a continuing resolution, we’re still making tremendous gains in jobs.”

While the unemployment rate fell, the actual number of jobs has dropped for three months in a row, according to the Virginia Employment Commission. The disconnect can be attributed to retirements and to discouraged workers who have quit looking or settled for part-time work.

Virginia’s seasonally adjusted non-farm employment decreased between August and September by 200 jobs, to a total of 3,814,200. But between September 2014 and September 2015, the number of jobs grew by 36,700.

McAuliffe said the state continues to feel the effects of federal cutbacks, but called the unemployment rate a good indication that the economy is strong.

“Some people come into the marketplace looking for work, others drop out . . . but 4.3 percent is a very good number,” he said.