Governor Mead Pleased With Employment Trend

Teton County’s unemployment rate during July fell to 4.6% from 5.2% in June and is below the 5.3% jobless rate seen here in July of 2010. At the same time, Sublette County enjoyed the highest employment in the state with only 3% of its workforce idled. Statewide, the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reported that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate slipped from 5.9% in June to 5.8% in July. A department news release points out that county unemployment rates usually decrease in the summer months as seasonal hiring occurs in construction, leisure & hospitality, retail trade, and other sectors. However, the state points out that from July 2010 to July 2011 unemployment rates fell in every county, suggesting broad improvement in the state’s economy. Governor Matt Mead says that bodes well for attracting business to the state.  Mead says as other states continue to struggle with their budget situations, the ripple effect that hopefully Wyoming is going to see more and more is that people are more interested in doing business in Wyoming. Quoting Mead: “We have the highest credit rating from S&P, which isn’t a big deal in terms of the state needing to borrow a lot of money, but it is an expression that we are financially strong and I think that is an attractive thing for businesses.”  Across the pass on the other hand, the Idaho Department of Labor says the statewide average is 9.4% for July, while Teton County, Idaho was 7.3%. Idaho very quickly points out that many Teton County workers hold jobs in the Jackson, Wyoming area.