Mahaska County unemployment
Empty Storefront's in Oskaloosa
The National unemployment rate has held steady again in July at 9.5%. The National unemployment rate hit 10.6% not seasonally adjusted in January of this year. The state of Iowa’s rate currently find’s it’s unemployment rate at 6.6%, down from a high of 7.5% in January of this year. Mahaska Counties unemployment rate for May of this year, the most current data available show’s us at 7.2%, down from a high of 9.9% in August of 2009.
With these numbers not being seasonably adjusted, it shows that we in Mahaska County find ourselves middle of the road nationally, but behind the curve in Iowa. With some descent manufacturing and industrial leaders such as Musco, Kelderman’s and Cablevey just to name a few. Why then does Mahaska usually seem to be behind the state’s average versus being a leader? Oskaloosa has attempted some beautification projects, such as the downtown sidewalks and the new stadium project underway at the Lacey Complex and improved cooperation between various organizations things have been improving.
There are many problems as well. Highway’s and street’s are always one of the first things visitors and residents notice, and Oskaloosa’s streets rate as a major complaint. But really, street conditions alone are not the only factor in a business’s decision to remain in or move to the community. Taxes and the cooperation from community leaders are major things that most business’s point towards.
Many will argue that stale leadership and or lack of cooperation from community leaders has been a drag to the local economy. Infrastructure and transportation are other very important things as well, as they provide the ease of importing and exporting product from facilities. I will be looking forward to many idea’s and suggestions about how to improve Mahaska County and Oskaloosa from leaders, and community members at large for their idea’s on what is right, and what is wrong and how everyone believes we can improve.
What are your thoughts, your suggestions, your praises and your complaints. Please email them to us at info@oskynews.org and put Attn:Community Improvement in the subject line.
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