July Jobs Report: Net Loss; Unemployment Steady

Tom Corbett portrait lores
Gov. Tom Corbett

Gov. Tom Corbett and his critics will be watching (and spinning) Pennsylvania’s employment numbers carefully over the next 14 months. The July report was a mixed bag.

The good news

Private sector jobs in the state increased by 4,000 last month.

The mediocre news

The unemployment rate stayed steady at 7.5%, breaking a two-month streak of the state’s unemployment rate being lower than the national average (which is now 7.4%).

The state ranked 46th nationwide in job growth over the 12-month moving average. It’s a slight tick down from June, when Pa. was 45th. The state’s historic average is 34th.

In the past year, the Commonwealth has seen a net gain of 27,100 jobs.

The bad news

Because of a loss of 5,700 government jobs the state lost a net 1,700 jobs during the month of July.

Pennsylvania’s job numbers are not unique. The nation, like the state, has seen growth in private sector jobs dragged down by losses in public sector jobs.

The reality of national trends, however, likely provides little comfort to Gov. Corbett, whose approval ratings suggest he is not helped by the state’s job situation.

The fact that most economists believe a Governor has very little control over short-term economic performance didn’t stop Corbett from making campaign trail boasts in 2010. Nor will it prevent Democrats from blaming the Governor for Pennsylvania’s sluggish recovery in 2014.

5 Responses

  1. Dear Corbett/Brabender Administration: Say it ain’t so? Is Brian Nutt the CREATIVE GENIUS assigned to the Highmark account?

  2. It is so convenient to have a Governor like John Brabender. He doesn’t live with us suffering Pennsylvania taxpayers. Brabender lives in the richest county in the US, Loudon County, Virginia. You don’t have to file disclosure statements, like Figurehead, Tom Corbett or Brabender minion COS Gromis-Baker. It is so good being Governor Brabender. I would love to do a flyover of his Virginia’s Governor Mansion.

  3. The Lord is moving hearts.Yesterday, PAGOP Chair Rob Gleason said in an interview with Robert J Vickers: “We’re trying to recruit 3 African American staffers,”……”We have a Hispanic staffer, so we’re trying to broaden our base and appeal to all people.” Wow, now I have the chance to get a job with the same person trying to dis-enfranchise me and my people. This must be a 50th Anniversary I HAVE A DREAM SPECIAL. Wow Now I can learn RACE HUSTLING from a master. http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/08/corbett_well-received_a
    t_rnc_d.html#PIX&p=27428&s=27923&a=23224

  4. IS POLITICAL NECROPHILIA FOR FINANCIAL GAIN STILL A HIGH CRIME AND MISDEMEANOR IN PA? 1. Is Governor Brabender really being paid by Highmark for his creative genius? Shouldn’t the employees of this great insurer and their rate payers be protected from out-of-state Political predators? Can the Corbett Administration shed some light on Governor Brabender’s fees, if any from this insurer? 2. Should COS Gromis-Baker be asked to resign and clear out her office because of the compromising position she has put her employer on paper, Tom Corbett and her husband’s employer, that world-class medical institution and leading employer, UPMC, by allowing Governor Brabender to do his own self-interested bidding? 3. If Governor Brabender has all this influence in the Governor’s office, is it possible, that the Virginia political consultant might have enjoyed the same power and privileges in the AG office? Not that 2 of his more famous clients, Mr. Corbett and Marybeth Buchanan would ever be accused of political prosecutions. Mr. Brian O’Neill, Jon Micek, Peter DeCoursey, Colin McNickle, Bob Guzzardi, and Signor Ferrari there probably is a real-life story of some importance to PA taxpayers lurking here somewhere. But who really cares about PA Taxpayers-they are just the RUBES. http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/opinion/brian-oneill/upmc-highmark-in-need-of-intervention-699313/

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