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State’s jobless rate indicates a positive trend

This is a political year on the state level, so it’s best to just stick to the numbers when considering Pennsylvania’s unemployment figures.

According to the state Department of Labor and Industry, Pennsylvania’s jobless rate in March was 6 percent.

That’s below the national jobless rate of 6.7 percent.

The data also marks a drop in the number of unemployed state residents for the eighth consecutive month, falling 8,000 to 390,000 in March.

Pennsylvania’s labor force – the number of people working or searching for work – rose by 12,000 in March.

You will be bombarded by advertisements and political stump speeches in the coming months highlighting how horrible the state’s economic situation is.

While the state’s economy clearly needs to be better, it is not the quagmire it is often made out to be.

The numbers don’t support the cries of economic disaster area.

And the jobs situation is clearly better than it was five years ago.

Eight consecutive months of lower unemployment represents more than a statistical or seasonal quirk.

It is short of a long-term trend but certainly an indicator of a state that is yielding some economic opportunity.

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