News Release

Contact:    Robin Maxey                                                                  March 16, 2009

                   (503) 986-1605   

                   robin.maxey@state.or.us                                                             

Senate President Comments As Oregon

Unemployment Climbs to Near 11 Percent

“Oregon’s unemployment rate continues to skyrocket month after month sending a clear signal that we haven’t yet reached the bottom of this recession. The number of unemployed has doubled in the last 12 months and is increasing faster than even the experts have predicted. Lawmakers should remain concerned that our budget deficits – both in the current biennium and for 2009-2011 – will have increased when we get the May forecast.”

“We should also never forget that the 10.8 percent unemployment rate represents 236,000 real people – families with mortgages to pay and children to feed – who are out of work. These are families who, in many cases, will need to turn to the state for assistance at the very time when the state budget is shrinking.”