Northumberland County Unemployment rate up again

by justin strawser

The October unemployment rate for Northumberland County rose to the highest it's been all year, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.

The latest data, released Wednesday, place the county unemployment rate at 10.6 percent, up 3.2 percent since October 2008's rate of 7.4, and up 5.5 percent from October 2007's rate of 5.1 percent.

From September to October, the rate has risen .2 percent, rising steadily since The News-Item started reporting the numbers each month.

"The economy created this problem, not the Northumberland County commissioners," said Commissioner Vinny Clausi Wednesday afternoon. "I feel terrible. I feel for the people."

Clausi said he and Commissioners Frank Sawicki and Kurt Masser have been trying to combat the ever-increasing unemployment rates, but have been "stonewalled" again and again.

Most recently, said Clausi, two companies interested in establishing a branch in the area postponed decisionsuntil next year because of the state of the economy.

"We are trying everything we can," said Clausi.

It has been nearly two years since the Elysburg-based Paper Magic closed its plant and nearly a year since the Milton-based Crest Homes and Elysburg-based Fleetwood Enterprises closed. It's been less than a year since Knight-Celotex, which has a plant in Sunbury, filed for bankruptcy. Additionally, Chrysler and General Motors have drastically cut back on the amount of dealerships in the nation, as well as in the area. While more than 600 new jobs were created in the summer when Knoebels Amusement Resort was open, the park's open season has been over for months.

Many of the employees who lost their jobs as a result of plant closings have yet to find work.

"I'm going to fight for the next two years for no tax increase because people cannot afford it," said Clausi. "We need to shrink government."

Northumberland County remains in the bottom 16 counties in the state when it comes to unemployment, ranking 50th out of 67. Schuylkill and Snyder are the only two counties adjacent to Northumberland that have higher unemployment rates. Schuylkill's rose .2 from the month before. Snyder County, which ranked 41st last month, jumped significantly, from 9.5 percent to 10.8 percent, and now ranks 54th.

Jobless rates in neighboring counties are: Montour, 6.3 percent; Dauphin, 8.4 percent; Juniata, 8.5 percent; Perry, 8.9 percent; Columbia, 9.2 percent; Union, 9.4 percent, and Lycoming, 9.9 percent.

Of those counties, only the jobless rate in Perry County increased. The others either decreased slightly or remained the same.

Centre County, at 6.1 percent, holds the lowest jobless rate in Pennsylvania. Cameron County, at 17 percent, has the highest. Both counties' rates have remained the same since the previous numbers were released.

Twenty-two counties, including Northumberland, Snyder and Schuylkill counties, are above a rate of 10 percent.

Northumberland County's unemployment rate remains above both state and national averages, at 8.4 percent and 9.5, respectively.

State and national rates have not been seasonally adjusted and totals reflect all people without work, including college students who were home on break. December '08: 8.8

January: 8.9

February: 9.5

March: 9.7

April: 9.5

May: 9.9

June: 10.1

July: 10

August: 10.1

September: 10.4

October: 10.6

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