Business leaders say it’s welcome news that the national unemployment rate has fallen below 9 percent for the first time in two years.
Tom Torti is president of the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce. He says the 8.6 national rate bodes well locally.
(Torti) "Vermont plays very much on a national stage and an international stage. So as the economy begins to get better we expect that to to trickle down to our businesses. Even though Vermont has the low unemployment rate in the country, seeing the national rate go down means that more people are creating jobs – there’s a positive attitude in the business community."
Enthusiasm about the national news is tempered because just 120,000 new jobs were added to payrolls. But companies in Vermont’s technology and manufacturing sectors insist there are jobs available.
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