Our state turned in some good economic numbers recently. Washington added over 100,000 jobs from March 2014 to March 2015, according to the Washington Employment Security Department’s most recent monthly employment report. (Private sector added 88,900 jobs while the public sector gained an estimated 12,000 jobs.) The department also reported expansions in state economic growth outpacing that of the nation in its 2014 Labor Market and Employment Report released in March. And, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that personal income for Washingtonians rose to $350 billion, or about $49,600 per person, in 2014.
Those are good numbers. However, as Opportunity Washington reports in its “Our View” blog, the national economy may be showing some signs of stalling and “while the state economy, largely fueled by the Puget Sound metro area, remains relatively strong, continued declines in the national economy can exert a drag that affects all states.”
That’s why policies that will boost economic opportunity throughout Washington state continue to be important. Get more detail at Opportunity Washington or download our coalition roadmap for expanding prosperity and opportunity to all of Washington state.
