Statement From Governor Martin O’Malley On JANUARY Jobs Report

ANNAPOLIS, MD (March 13, 2012) – Governor Martin O’Malley today released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Labor’s release of preliminary employment data for the month of January. The report shows that Maryland’s unemployment rate was driven down to 6.5 percent – the lowest unemployment rate in three years and nearly two percentage points below the national rate. Maryland employers added 39,800 jobs since January of last year, the most since January 2005-2006.

“Since January of last year, Maryland continued to create jobs, adding 39,800 jobs and 32,600 jobs in the private sector alone. Our unemployment rate was driven down to 6.5 percent, the lowest we’ve achieved in three years and nearly 2 percentage points below the national average.

“This steady progress in job creation is a positive sign that Maryland continues to move forward. Maryland has now recovered 69 percent of the jobs lost during the Bush recession (compared to 39 percent for the nation overall). The most important job we create is the next one. There is more work to be done. That’s why our focus continues to be creating and saving jobs for Marylanders.

“Progress is a choice, strengthening and growing our middle class is a choice. We must make the modern investments a modern economy requires to create jobs– investments in education, investments in innovation and investments in infrastructure.

“Together, we can expand opportunity and secure a better future for our children.”