STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ON OCTOBER JOBS REPORT

ANNAPOLIS, MD (November 22, 2011) – Governor Martin O’Malley today issued the following statement on the U.S. Department of Labor’s release of preliminary employment data for the month of October. The report shows that Maryland employers added 3,100 jobs. Maryland’s unemployment rate decreased 0.2 percentage points to 7.2 percent, and is 20 percent below the national rate of 9 percent.

“Our number one goal is to create jobs and expand opportunity. This month, our State added 3,100 jobs, which helped drive down our unemployment rate to 7.2 percent. Since the start of this year, we’ve added 20,400 jobs, which is the best performance for that period since 2005.

“It is an historic truth that in order for a modern economy to create jobs, we have to make modern investments. While our private sector businesses continued to add jobs last month, we must continue to do everything we can to create and save jobs for our families. That’s why we intend to invest in our innovation sectors, infrastructure and other job creation priorities in the upcoming legislative session.

“Nationally, for every three private sector jobs added since the recession ended, we’re cutting one job in the public sector. As we continue to recover, we must make critical investments and stop cutting our children’s future so we can return to the urgent work of building a stronger, more prosperous America.”