[sunrico90]

We are doing superb!!!!!

There was continuing good news for Florida's economy in December, as the state's unemployment remained at 3.3 percent in December, unchanged from November, but across the state, the growth in new jobs in 2006 was nearly double the national average.

The Agency for Workforce Innovation reported Friday that the adjusted unemployment rate for December was 1.2 percentage points lower than the national rate of 4.5 percent, with much of the state at what labor experts consider virtually 'full employment'

Walton County in the Florida Panhandle reported the lowest unemployment rate at 2.1 percent while Madison County in north central Florida had the highest at 7.1 percent.
Across the state, there were more jobs in December than there were in November, with 212,600 new jobs created in 2006. The 2.7 percent increase in new jobs nearly doubled the national average of 1.4 percent.

"While today's report is good news, it clearly illustrates the importance of reaching a solution to Florida's property insurance crisis," Gov. Charlie Crist said Friday. "Florida's businesses are creating quality jobs, and their ability to retain talented workers depends on meaningful and broad-based rate reductions for homeowners."

http://www.topix.net/content/cbs/2532201452406646523205302961832540583747 (broken link)

[MrTudo]

Bush did a good job and we have a diverse, go get em population whereas lots of the country is mired in manufacturining losses, and a morose attitude in general.

Fla kicks butt

[pianogal]

Originally Posted by MrTudo

Bush did a good job and we have a diverse, go get em population whereas lots of the country is mired in manufacturining losses, and a morose attitude in general.

Fla kicks butt

My home state of South Carolina is sad. The unemployment rate there is among the worst in the country - between 6 and 7 percent according the CNN Money.

Some of the larger cities are doing OK - such as Greenville. But in my little hometown - there are no jobs. All the young people graduate from the high school and move away to find employment. The town is dying and it is sad.

DH and I were looking at a home there last summer - full Brick on 2 acres of beautifully landscaped land, 5300 square feet - 5 bedrooms, 6 baths, 3 fireplaces built in 1985 for $289,000. The one we really wanted was a gorgeous fully restored Platation Style Home on Main Street - it was a 5500 square foot 6 bedroom, 5 bath home on 1 acre with multiple marble and stone fireplaces and a huge swimming pool for $217,500!!

And it's still for sale, because no one there has a job that would allow them to pay 200K for a home. We certainly couldn't move there because of the job issue. I know there are some struggling to make it in Florida - but it's even worse in many areas of the country.

[MrTudo]

What town is that Pianogal?

We looked at SC a year ago when we considered leaving Fla but weren't pleased when we checked the stats on census.gov

Fla is tough to beat in many things.

[pianogal]

It's a little town best known for it's tourist trap along I-95 - South of the Border. It's called Dillon. They have the distinction for having one of the highest per capita crime rates in the country, were featured on 60 minutes for having one of the worst school districts in the country (high school dropout rates average 40%), the unemployment rate is 9.7% (approximately 31% of the families live below poverty level) and I could go on and on.

When I was growing up there were several manufacturing plants in town and huge tobacoo farms. There were Tobacco warehouses downtown and in the fall, town was bustling with the people coming in for the tobacco auctions. The plants and tobacco industry are gone. The warehouses are just falling down - empty shells and there's just not much left for people to do.

Our only claim to fame is that our National Reserve Chairman - Ben Bernanke grew up in Dillon, in fact we were in school together at Dillon High School. He was 3 years ahead of me. Our schools were great in those days - they were able to produce students like Ben and not to brag, but I went to college on a full academic scholarship as did several of my friends.

Perhaps that's why I see Florida as the land of opportunity. I visit home and it is so depressed - I can't wait to get back to civilization!