What is the economic situation in Oregon? The answer is better than a year ago, although only marginally so. Unemployment as of April 2011 was down to 9.5% from about 12% in March a year ago.
www.google.com/publicdata?ds=usunemployment&met_y=unemployment_rate&idim=state:ST410000&dl=en&hl=en&q=oregon%27s+unemployment+rate There is some hiring in the private sector. Daimler Benz in Portland, for example, is adding 155 workers due to higher demand for its Freightliner and Western Star trucks.
www.kgw.com/news/business/Daimler-adding-jobs-in-Portland-123618869.html This is offset, though, by public employee layoffs such as the recent round by the Salem-Keizer School District. Federal stimulus dollars floated the public sector for an extra year but when they ran out, so did the public jobs. Oregon agricultural exports were up 25% last year and 2011 is projected to be even better. It appears that Oregon's economy is like our Spring weather this year - there are some rays of sunshine peeking through the clouds, but the cold gray clouds just won't disappear. Let's hope summer arrives soon.
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