Oregon House of Representative Speaker Dave Hunt spoke yesterday on the current status of the state’s unemployment rate. Hunt affirmed that the unemployment rate has remained steady for the last month, with help from the “Go Oregon!” stimulus plan.
According to Oregon House Republican’s 2009 session outline, around 241,000 Oregonians are currently unemployed, 98,000 of which have lost their job since June 2008. While the House Republicans see the stimulus plan as ineffective and costly, with funds of $19 million per year, Democrat Hunt believes it’s a successful, albeit slow, process.
“The job creation legislation we passed this session – from the transportation package and health care reform to capital construction projects, energy efficiency options for homeowners and affordable housing – will give an additional boost to our jobs situation as those programs come on line,”
said Hunt yesterday. In conclusion, he emphasized the necessity of community support and assistance. “We must continue to reach out and help those families that are continuing to struggle against the global recession, and make sure we are doing everything we can to put them back to work and be there to aid them in this time of great need.”