Bay area's job losses second-worst nationally

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As if we needed the notoriety, the Tampa Bay area has been named the second-biggest job loser among large metro areas nationwide.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater lost 1.8 percent of its jobs over the year ending in June. That's second only to California's Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metro area, which lost 2 percent of its employment.

While the numbers sting, they come as no surprise. In May and June, the Tampa Bay area led the state in job losses, with 23,100 vanishing over the past year. Unemployment locally was 5.9 percent in June, up from 4.2 percent a year before and higher than the state and national levels, both at 5.5 percent.

Mark Vitner, senior economist with Wachovia, said he's seeing tentative signs of a bottoming in Florida. But he doesn't see improvement any time soon.

"We may not see sales and construction-related jobs fall all that much more, but they're not likely to pick up in a meaningful way for some time," he said. "And the job losses are fairly broad-based. The nation is still technically not in recession territory, but it's the most agonizingly nonrecessionary period I can think of for the U.S. economy."

If it's any comfort, the Tampa Bay area isn't the only Florida market making national rankings for job losses. When considering metro areas of all sizes, three of the top five markets for job declines are on the West Coast of Florida: Cape Coral-Fort Myers (down 5.1 percent), Naples-Marco Island (down 4.2 percent) and Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice (down 3.6 percent).

Where the jobs aren't

Large metro areas with highest percentage
job losses year-over-year, June 2008:

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif. – 2%
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater – 1.8%
Detroit-Warren-Livonia, Mich. – 1.7%
Pheonix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz – 1.4%

Where the jobs are

Areas with highest percentage job increases:

Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, N.C. + 2.1%
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, Texas + 2.1%
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas,
and San Antonio, Texas + 2%
Austin-Round Rock, Texas + 1.8%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Comments on this article

by pj	Aug 2, 2008 8:00 AM
well the governer is from our area,so we do have someone to look up to,so acting like a rock touring the world and deal with the situation in your own back yard charlie

by NotInFlaAnymore	Aug 1, 2008 2:48 PM
Who annointed the Wachovia economists the authority? Walkalloverya is the bank that led the charge to ruin this state by financing the overbuilding. For the record, I'll bet the loss in population overcomes the loss in Jobs. The skilled labor is gone

by Dan	Aug 1, 2008 1:34 PM
working people feed the economy. but the politicians keep raising taxes so we have less business, less jobs, less people moving into Fl so less income. their only answer is more taxes. time to change

by RICHARD	Aug 1, 2008 1:33 PM
WELL AROUND HERE THERE ARE A MANY LOCAL PEOPLE OUT OF WORK, BUT OUR PRESIDENT AND HIS CRONIES ARE LAUGHING ALL WAY TO THE BANK.

by zac	Aug 1, 2008 1:32 PM
All the growth is in texas, where democrats have no power to screw up the economy with pseudo-socialist economic "experiments." Its called the free market, capitalist system. For it to work properly (like in texas), you need utterly powerless democrats. Not complicated, not hard to figure out. Texas is a free market

by Lena	Aug 1, 2008 1:26 PM
Impeach Bush now! This wouldn't be a problem if Kerry won the 04 election. Values voters suck.

by Mel	Aug 1, 2008 1:25 PM
Now if all these down trodden, not trained to do anything would just leave. Not our fault their mother and father didn't raise them to aspire for anything except to to work construction.

by Rose	Aug 1, 2008 1:24 PM
Don't make sport franchise owners richer at taxpayer expense. Stop big money "committees" who "court" & give tax handouts to out of area companies. They never payoff & move to next big suckers when we wake up. Support local owners who spend local.

by Jim	Aug 1, 2008 1:23 PM
3 of 4 highest increase cities are in Texas, and gas is $4/gallon. The other is the banking/mortgage capital of America...let's revisit these stats this time next year. For now, I am in the wrong line of work!

by kml	Aug 1, 2008 1:18 PM
We need more industry. It's just too bad the world wants nothing we produce. How about another fast food joint that features servers performing ballet?

by pj	Aug 1, 2008 1:17 PM
is it odd that TEXAS you know where the president and all his men are from has a striving economy,WOW, maybe our elec- tive officials could take a page from this book and they are now finish yet remember T BOONE PICKENS

by aj	Jul 31, 2008 2:35 PM
Much of an areas downturn is due to the greed of the local politicians. To increase business you need to take more obsticles out of the way for startup and lower taxes and fees and restrictions. Be business friendly not greedy.

by Shannon	Jul 31, 2008 2:10 PM
What are people supposed to do that can't find jobs? Maybe the market is not the worst its been but its making people homeless.

by Snoz	Jul 31, 2008 1:54 PM
Jim, stop smoking crack. Businesses are failing because homeowners have no access to credit for making purchases. The extravagant, not so bright, life style of finance today, pay tomorrow, is dead. Econo heads are having hard time realizing it.

by jimmy	Jul 31, 2008 10:25 AM
Please use more context in these stories! The current market is nowhere near as bad as the one in 1974 (or in 1981). Unemployment in the five percent range is historically average, not dire.

by AJN	Jul 31, 2008 10:25 AM
Too much dependence on sales and construction-related jobs. The local economy needs more diverisity to weather economic downturns such as this.

by Don	Jul 31, 2008 10:25 AM
It would be interesting to know if these numbers included the illegals who lost their jobs. If so , that makes the numbers skewed and the article not credible.

by Jim	Jul 31, 2008 10:25 AM
Pinellas job losses are driven by annexation. When cities annex county business property often those companies are forced to close due to higher franchise and license fees.