PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Governor Gina M. Raimondo today released the following statement on the announcement of the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate.
"This month's unemployment report highlights why we must stay relentlessly focused on our mission to put people back to work. We can't read too much into any one positive or negative number: we're pleased to see the unemployment rate drop down to 5.4%, but we also lost 1,800 jobs - many in well-paying, family-supporting industries.
"I'm particularly concerned that we've just endured the fourth straight month without any gains in construction jobs - this industry is down 1,800 jobs over the past year, a trend we hope to reverse by putting people back to work now with the School Building Authority, our work with General Treasurer on the Infrastructure Bank, our new tax credits including the Rebuild RI program, and fixing our roads and bridges with RhodeWorks.
"I am committed to continuing to work every day to attract new businesses to our state, help existing business to grow, and making sure every person has an opportunity to make it in Rhode Island. Just today, I was at a business that is anticipating over $80,000 in savings this year because we eliminated the sales and use tax on commercial energy and made our tax rates one of the most competitive in the Northeast. If we keep up this momentum, and continue to work together, I'm confident we will spark Rhode Island's comeback."
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