Cross-posted from Defeat Poverty DC.
We are often told how well D.C. has done during the economic downturn, especially in comparison with other states. This is true, kinda. When it comes to basic economic indicators such as job growth and home values, D.C. is ahead of the curve. Employment is up 1.6% in the District since 2007, the official start of the Great Recession. The average value of single family homes in D.C. is higher than the value of similar homes in the D.C. suburbs, and even in the U.S. generally.
But these good omens are only part of the story. Job growth here is mainly due to hiring by the federal government. Many private industries, including construction and personal services, have actually been losing large numbers of jobs. Unemployment amongst D.C. residents remains above 10%, while other states have seen their unemployment rates fall. For many in the District, life has been hard during the Recession. Middle-class jobs that required a high school diploma or GED are disappearing. And many unemployed residents do not have the skills to take on the type of jobs now being created.
So what can we do? We can ask our candidates for Mayor, Council Chairman and City Council what they will do to help unemployed workers compete for 21st-century jobs, including those in the health care, customer service and government sectors. We can also ask them how they will make work pay and how they will make basic services affordable. We need your help to keep the pressure on. Join us at a candidate forum any night this month!
