News Release

Contact:    Robin Maxey                                                                  April 13, 2009

                   (503) 986-1605   

                   robin.maxey@state.or.us                                                             

Courtney Says State Must Come Together

As Unemployment Rate Jumps to 12.1 Percent

Statement by Senate President Peter Courtney

“Unemployment in Oregon has more than doubled since last summer and while that creates enormous budget challenges for the state, we can’t lose site of the fact that 12.1 percent unemployment represents 256,000 real people. They are real people with budget challenges of their own. They have families to feed and mortgages to pay – and no job.

“Runaway unemployment has created anxious times for families all across Oregon – and not just for people who have lost their jobs. Families who are struggling to make ends meet now are also burdened with the worry that their job could be the next one cut.

“This is a time for us to come together as a people, for each of us to remember that our family, our friends and our neighbors may need our help. We are all in this together and we must come together to work our way out of it.

“As a Legislature, we must recognize that our constituents are hurting and they are looking to us for leadership. The tools we have for jump-starting the economy are limited. We can’t run up a deficit like Congress but we can work with the executive agencies to make sure that the federal stimulus dollars are being spent in a manner that will create employment. Likewise, we must continue to exercise oversight of agencies to ensure that the Go Oregon projects we approved earlier this session are creating jobs as quickly as possible. And we must work to protect the crucial social services on which a growing number of Oregonians now depend.”