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State Jobless Rate Declines NSF Staff
Florida
FOUR BALLOT PROPOSALS TOP 300,000 SIGNATURES
Florida’s jobless rate dipped to 3.3 percent, down 0.1 percentage
Unemployment
point from June, according to numbers released by the state De-
partment
of Economic Opportunity on Friday. The latest monthly
NSF Staff
totals, reflecting 344,000 jobless Floridians in a workforce of 10.35
Sprinting
submit
enough
petition
signatures to
A proposal
that would change
a provision in the
million,
come to two
days
after state
economists
projected
the state
Florida’s
get
on
the
November
2020
ballot,
backers
of
four
state
Constitution
about
the
citizenship
of voters
will take in about $867 million less in revenue over the next two
unemployment
rate
proposed constitutional amendments have topped
had 303,675 valid signatures. To get on the 2020
years
than anticipated. Economists attributed the drop
in expect-
held
at 3.3
percent
300,000 valid signatures reported to the state
ballot, each of the proposals
would
need
at least in
ed revenue to a combination of a slowing economy and the re-
August
and was
Division of Elections. As of Tuesday, a proposed
766,200 valid signatures.
Political --- committees
verberations of financial decisions. The state’s jobless estimate for
constitutional amendment that would gradually
supporting the proposals
down submit
slightly petition
from a
July increase
indicates
there are about 5,000 fewer Floridians
out of work
the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour
signatures to county supervisors
of
elections,
who
year ago, according
than had
in June
and
11,000
fewer
unemployed
from
a
year
ago.
In
a
372,879 valid signatures. It was followed by a
verify the legitimacy of the signatures. Supervisors
released
press
release that
announcing
the latest
unemployment
rate report
Friday, the numbers to of numbers
proposal
would revamp
the state’s
primary-
then
valid signatures to
by to the
state
Gov. election
Ron DeSantis
state had
will 355,805
continue
to “prioritize
policies
system. said
That the
proposal
valid
the state.
In addition to Friday
needing
meet
the
Department
of
that signatures
promote economic
including
lowering 766,200-signature
taxes, smart
reported to growth,
the Division
of Elections.
threshold,
the committees
investments
in the environment
working
to make
Florida
the approval from
The third-highest
total, 350,808 and
valid
signatures,
also
will need
the Florida
Supreme
Economic
Opportunity.
reported
for a proposal
that would
overhaul ” The
best was
state
in the nation
for workforce
education.
monthly
Court
of the wording of their
ballot
proposals.
The
August
estimate,
and deregulate
state’s electric-utility
job numbers
were the
bolstered
by growth in industry.
the fields of service
which matched July’s
producing, private-service providing, and education and health
3.3 percent rate,
services. The biggest drop-off in jobs was in local government
represented 342,000
• • • government
positions, which fell by 5,300 from June to July. Local
Floridians without jobs
positions are still up 6,600 from a year ago, however. Construc-
from a workforce of just
tion jobs, up 21,300 over the past year, fell by 1,400 from June to
under 10.4 million. The
July. The state’s unemployment rate remains below the national
rate in August 2018 was
rate, which held at 3.7 percent for the second month, after ticking
up from 3.6 percent in May. Among the state’s metropolitan statis-
3.4 percent.
tical areas, the Crestview-Fort Walton-Destin region in the Florida
Panhandle has the lowest jobless rate, dropping from 2.9 percent
SHOW THAT
in June to 2.8 percent in July. The Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford
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area, at 3.2 percent, was second lowest, followed by the North
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Port-Sarasota-Bradenton area, at 3.3 percent. The state’s overall
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unemployment rate is seasonally adjusted, while the regional
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rates are not. The highest jobless rates were found in the metro-
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politan statistical areas for Homosassa Springs and Sebring, each
or Alex at [email protected]
at 5.2 percent. Homosassa Springs was also at 5.2 percent in June,
while Sebring was at 5.1 percent in June, after jumping from 4.3
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percent in May. The Panama City area, which continues to recover
from last year’s Hurricane Michael, improved from 3.9 percent in
June to 3.6 percent for July.
JULY/AUG 2019 • DITCHMEN 13
Rate Holds Steady
30
DITCHMEN • SEPTEMBER 2019