Michigan unemployment rate inches upward to 10.5%

[Bozita]

Source: Detroit Free Press

Michigan unemployment rate inches upward to 10.5%
3:17 PM, Jul. 20, 2011
BY JOHN GALLAGHER
DETROIT FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

Michigan’s unemployment rate headed in the wrong direction in June, rising two-tenths of a percentage point to 10.5%.

“Halfway through 2011, Michigan’s labor market has shown no significant changes since the beginning of the year,” said Rick Waclawek, director of the state’s Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives.

Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/20110720/BUSINESS06/110720031/Michigan-unemployment-rate-inches-upward-10-5-?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

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Where are the jobs, Gov. Snyder?

GOP House. Check.

GOP Senate. Check.

GOP Governor. Check.

Lotsa corporate/fatcat taxbreaks. Check.

Where are all those new fucking jobs?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. k/r

Sad.

[louis-t]

2. Getting rid of the movie industry killed 5,000 jobs.

Idiots who voted for him still don't get it. He will NOT balance the budget. He will NOT create jobs. He will, however, sell off a good chunk of the state to private investors before he is stopped.

[Purveyor]

5. But, but...we are shelling out a million bucks to sponsor a NASCAR race this August. eom

/sarcarsm off

[No Elephants]

15. That's because it will bring in at least $100,000 in tourist revenues.

I never get that, exactly. Plus, why aren't the businesses who are expecting the revenues paying for it, instead of the general fund?

Boston did a bit of that when they promised the DNC a large cash payment to have their 2004 convention here. I guess that did a lot for hotels, eateries and the convention hall, not so much for taxpayers. And that's not counting the hidden costs, like paying overtime to have the subways and buses running extra.


On the bright side, the cost of the free speech cage seemed rather minimal. Well away from the building entrance, no johns or places to sit. A jail cell has more amenities.

So ashamed that that was the first free speech cage I'd ever seen or heard of, one built by a Democratic mayor for a Democratic National Convention. But, I digress.

Point is, if local businesses, like hotels and eateries expect to profit from something, why do the taxes of a secretary or janitor have to help pay for it?

[Purveyor]

18. While it was never publicly acknowledged, I think that the State of MI was the sponsor of 'last

resort'.

Track attendance has been falling dramatically over the past years. They even redesigned the stadium to remove hundreds of seats in hope of being able to proclaim a 'sellout'.

That hasn't worked so they are now lowering ticket prices.

[Psephos]

13. The program cost $360 million in refundable tax credits over three years.

If those 5,000 jobs (not my figure) paid in $72,000 each in taxes, then the program was worth it.

If not, then there are better uses for the money. For example, annualized, that money represents full state support for two mid-size universities, such as Western Michigan University and Central Michigan University.

[louis-t]

19. I am sick of hearing this argument.

5,000 jobs were just the ones in the business. The amount of materials, transportation, catering, etc. brought a huge cash flow into the state. I have posted a partial list of the businesses that profit from having a real, live industry in our state several times and am sick of doing so. You're using the repug "businessman" argument that we can't afford to invest in our state. Yet we are supposed to believe that giving huge across the board tax breaks to the rich will cause them to create jobs out of the goodness of their hearts. I have a relative in the business who worked on 16 movies in a row, no time off. She has now not worked since January because of our soon-to-be-recalled rethug governor. Please turn off Rush Limbaugh and step away from the radio.

[Psephos]

20. Hmm, another cow moos to be milked.

I am a WGA writer who lives in both Michigan and Los Angeles. I make my living in this industry.

My point, which I most assuredly did not get from Mush Limpballs, is that the state has limited money to invest, and it should go to investments with the largest ROI.

Handing money to Hollywood rich people to come here and shoot films is one of a thousand potential uses for that limited money. I have not seen any fact-based analysis that shows it is the best use, or even close.

You have facts and evidence instead of assumptions and insults? Let's hear them. Highlighting local benefits without addressing the overall lost opportunity costs of the investments won't cut it.

By the way, you should hear what many people in the industry have to say about shooting in Michigan, and about the cities and people here. Very condescending, to put it mildly. A lot of them laughed at us rubes as they took the money. You have no idea how nasty some of them can be.

I would love it if Michigan could become a film center - it would make my life way easier - but handing scarce millions to wealthy people who pull up stakes when the free money is gone is madness.

Michigan has extraordinary competitive advantages in its pool of manufacturing/engineering/designing workers, but those workers are dissipating. The money, IMO, should be invested in capitalizing new businesses built around what we already do best, rather than trying to start something from scratch in a famously fickle industry where we have no major competitive advantage besides the largess of the state.

[louis-t]

21. I see, so we should invest billions in the auto industry?

If anyone thought that was a good investment, it would happen. There were studios being built, studios on the drawing board, huge, unused former automotive buildings being transformed. An industry was investing millions in this state and all you can say is "the industry insiders hate us"?

The amount of money being spent in the state was promising. My SIL would buy thousands of dollars worth of materials for each film she worked on.

Of the 4-5,000 jobs (not temporary jobs) that were lost, about half will leave the state according to some surveys I've seen. My SIL and brother will most likely leave the state by the end of the year. She is a costumer.

I would much rather invest in a fledgling business in the state that shows great promise rather than just give more tax breaks to the wealthy. That is the Snyder plan, you know. He will never balance a budget. His ideology forbids it. Any savings from selling off assets will be given in tax breaks to corporations who will NEVER hire more people unless demand rises. Also on the table are the Great Lakes. They tried to sell them off when Engler was governor, but he got shouted down.

[ixion]

3. which means real unemployment (uncooked) is probably over 20%

[TexDevilDog]

7. That is why they should report percent of employed populous

.

[WatsonT]

16. But that makes it harder to massage the numbers to get the results you want

So . . . oh I see.

[Firebrand Gary]

4. K&R....Where are all those new fucking jobs at Governor?

Thanks for the post gang!

[Shadowflash]

6. As a Michigan resident.....

.... I say Amen!

[maddogesq]

17. As a fellow Michigan resident...

I say Amen, but I also say that too many Michigan voters were either stupid, or uninformed, or both for thinking Gov. Snydley was going to bring oodles of jobs. Instead, he is giving us the new state of Fascigan.

[sandyj999]

8. Getting Rid of the Movie Tax Break Was Totally Stupid.

It not only caused people to lose their jobs but some businesses that had started up are now not going to make it. He also said that by giving businesses a tax break they would hire more people. Even I know better than that. They will hire more people for what? With the lack of jobs exactly who will frequent these places? They won't hire more people but rather keep the money benefit for themselves. I see no improvement at all. Thanks Rick.

[Oasis_]

22. We instituted the credit here (Ohio)

and Cleveland has enjoyed a huge surge in movies filmed here, including "The Avengers". It's been a real boon to businesses downtown, along with the additional hiring that's taken place from the films themselves.

Oasis

[toddwv]

9. As soon as residents of Michigan are willing to work for $1.00 a day

including benefits, there will be plenty of jobs.

That's the Republican dream.

[Firebrand Gary]

10. You are totally right! Can you imagine if they.......

Had their way with the auto industry? They would have easily let all of those remaining auto manufacturing jobs to go overseas, so they could drive down the cost of labor and line the wallets of their investors. That's all they care about, their fucking profit margin.

Greed is the deadliest sin af all!

[sarcasmo]

11. Tax pensions and giving cuts to big business, check.

[newspeak]

12. Instead of selling the "farm" to corporations for a song

they could have passed a health care bill like Vermont where corporations don't have to worry about funds for those benefits (those who still pay benefits), or tax incentives for hiring people in the state or innovation-instead of just giving them a tax break with no strings.

What I see in states like Michigan, Wisconsin, Maine are repug "kings" who are there to do corporate bidding at the expense of the people. They are against democratic processes, against labor and would sell their mother for a profit.

Their ego is so overinflated it's staggering. I cannot imagine some "czar" appointed by a governor going into a city and basically dismissing the voice of the citizens' in that city (democratically elected counsel, mayor). Can we say "totalitarianism?"

[No Elephants]

14. And, by 10.5%, we mean more like 30%.