14,600 reasons to question McDonnell on Jobs

For Immediate Release

July 25, 2011

Contact: Brian Coy, 804-644-1966, brian@vademocrats.org

14,600 reasons to question McDonnell on Jobs

Richmond, VA – The U.S. Labor Department reported last week that Virginia lost more jobs in the month of June than all but two states, shedding 14,600, or nearly one quarter of the jobs that Virginia has gained since Governor Bob McDonnell took the helm in 2010.

The massive losses came in a month when more than half of the states across the country posted job gains in June, raising the question of what those states did right that the Governor and his administration did wrong, or failed to do at all.

“While states around the country added jobs in the month of June, Virginia fell further behind," said DPVA Executive Director David Mills. "When you lose a quarter of all the jobs that were created during your administration in one month, it's time to accept that your approach isn't working.  

"The thousands of Virginians who are wondering how they are going to find work and provide for their families deserve an explanation from Governor McDonnell on what went wrong, and why so many other states are performing better than we are.

“Real leaders meet adversity head on.  They accept their fair share of accountability when times get tough.  Unfortunately, while the Governor doesn't hesitate to jump in front of a camera when jobs are created, he and his administration are nearly silent when Virginians lose theirs. Bob McDonnell should accept some responsibility for these massive losses, particularly when so many other Governors are having success in putting their people back to work.”

Background:

• The U.S. Department of Labor reports that Virginia 14,600 jobs in June, the third highest total in the country.

◦ Link: http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/2011/07/va-sheds-nearly-quarter-new-jobs-gained-past-16-months

• The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, a nonpartisan think tank, reported last week that “the state has made no real progress in job creation since the end of the recession all the way back in June 2009.  At that time, Virginia's total employment was 3.6 million and it remains at 3.6 million today.”

◦Link: http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/LaborWage/VirginiaBackslidesonJobs/tabid/1080/Default.aspx

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