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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Mike Benbow, Business Editor benbow@heraldnet.com   Published: Tuesday, July 17, 2007 WA jobless rate: 'About as good as it gets' Associated Press OLYMPIA -- Washington's unemployment rate remains near historic lows, improving to 4.5 percent in June. The rate dropped a tenth of a percentage point from May, and now is just a tick above the state's modern record for low unemployment, the 4.4 percent mark set in April. "It's about as good as it gets for full employment in Washington," said Evelina Tainer, chief economist for the Department of Employment Security. The state rate now equals the national rate of 4.5 percent. Oregon's latest rate is 5.1 percent. "Washington's unemployment rate remains at historic lows and our healthy economy has been noticed by other states and internationally," said Gov. Chris Gregoire. The new jobless report was the latest in a string of good economic news that was highlighted by the administration a day earlier. Welfare caseloads are the lowest in decades, state government revenue forecasts have soared by over $3 billion since Gregoire took office, Boeing has launched a popular new Dreamliner, and international trade is booming, the administration noted. "The opportunities I have found while on trade missions to other nations are bolstered by the fact that our strong market makes us an attractive trade partner," the governor said. Gregoire led a 50-member delegation to Mexico last week. Washington employers added a net of about 3,300 new workers last month, adding to the 6,900 new hires in May. The pace of employment growth among various sectors was mixed. Industries with the largest employment growth in June were information services, up 1,400; education and health services, up 900; professional and business services, up 600; and construction, with 600 new jobs. Largest declines were reported in government, down 400; wholesale trade, down 300; and manufacturing, down 200. Over the past 12 months, 50,800 net new jobs were created in Washington. Nonfarm job growth increased by 1.8 percent, better than the national rate of 1.5 percent. Still, more than 150,000 people are out of work, said Employment Security Commissioner Karen Lee. She suggested that people looking for work use the listings, advice and classes offered at local WorkSource centers. Unemployment rates, not seasonally adjusted, in metropolitan areas around the state: Bellingham, 4 percent; Bremerton, 4.4; Longview, 5.7; Mount Vernon-Anacortes, 4.4; Olympia, 4.2; Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, 4.1; Spokane, 4.3; Tacoma, 4.6; Tri-Cities, 4.5; Wenatchee, 3.7; and Yakima, 4.9. These labor market areas also reported: Aberdeen, 6.2 percent; Centralia, 6.2; Ellensburg, 4.2; Moses Lake, 4.5; Oak Harbor, 4.7; Port Angeles, 5.2; Pullman, 4.3; Shelton, 5.3; and Walla Walla, 4.5. Unemployment rates in these counties were: Adams, 4.2 percent; Asotin, 4.2; Benton, 4.3; Chelan, 3.8; Clark, 5.4; Columbia, 6.3; Douglas, 3.7; Ferry, 6.7; Franklin, 5; Garfield, 4.4; Jefferson, 4.4; King, 4; Klickitat, 5.5; Lincoln, 4.4; Okanogan, 5; Pacific, 5.8; Pend Oreille, 5.9; San Juan, 3; Skamania, 5.5; Snohomish, 4.3; Stevens, 6; and Wahkiakum, 5.3. ___ On the Net: Employment Security Department: http://fortress.wa.gov/esd/portal/

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