Posted at 12:08 PM on January 15, 2008
by Tom Scheck
The Star Tribune reported it first. AP picked it up:
ST. PAUL (AP) - The latest unemployment figures have prompted
the state's economist say that Minnesota is now in a recession.
Minnesota's unemployment rate rose to 4.9 percent in December,
up from 4.4 percent in November. The state has lost 23,000 jobs
over the past six months.
It's the worst series of jobs numbers since the 2001 national
economic downturn.
State economist Tom Stinson tells the Star Tribune the numbers
mean the state is in a recession, and he can't label it anything
else.
Stinson says that in more normal times the state would add about
23,000 jobs over a year.
Instead the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic
Development says the state lost 700 jobs from this time last year.
The feature examines statements made by Minnesota politicians and checks them for accuracy. Based on data analysis, document reviews and interviews with non-partisan analysts, statements are rated either true, false or inconclusive. PoliGraph is a collaboration between Minnesota Public Radio News and the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.
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