Economic Development Director Says Road To Recovery Will Be A Long One

Missouri’s road to economic recovery is going to be anything but a smooth ride. That’s the word from Economic Development Director Joe Driskill, who bases his assessment on the latest report on economic conditions. This disappointing news comes on the heels of recent reports showing the national economy is coming out of its downturn. Driskill says one of the major problems is in the job sector – especially in the area of manufacturing – which has suffered in recent months. He says the state must strive to make improvements in labor market conditions, real year over year growth in retail sales, and a return to a personal rate of income growth the state has seen in the past. Adding to the concerns: unemployment figures for March show the jobless rate is up four-tenths of a point to 5.2 percent.