Carlos Cracraft Quotations

Kentucky was one of 18 states plus the District of Columbia that reported an unemployment rate above the U.S. jobless rate in December 2005.

It's been an unusual year for Kentucky's labor market. Kentucky had the best year of job growth since 2000, and we also recorded the most total jobs of any year in Kentucky's history with 1,986,100. But, the state's annual unemployment rate went up 0.6 percentage points from 2004 to 2005. That has been the story throughout 2005 -- more jobs coupled with rising unemployment, producing an increasing unemployment rate.

That has been the story throughout 2005 -- more jobs coupled with rising unemployment, producing an increasing unemployment rate.

The March 2006 unemployment rate of 6 percent was the lowest rate recorded for Kentucky in 10 months. Compared to other states, Kentucky was one of 16 states plus the District of Columbia that reported an unemployment rate above the U.S. jobless rate in March 2006.