Construction Jobs Down by 4,000 in Massachusetts
Saturday, August 18, 2012
The trade group's report, based off analysis of data collected by the U.S. Labor Department, noted that the decrease in employment for the construction industry coincided with decreases in public funding for construction projects.
"Public construction cuts in particular are taking their toll on construction employment in many parts of the country," said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. "With economic growth remaining sluggish, there is a chance construction employment will begin to slip in even more places."
The AGCA report also stated that uncertainty about the tax situation next year may result in lagging demand for construction work in the private sector as well, causing construction job numbers to slide even further.
"The longer Washington waits to act on vital tax and infrastructure measures, the more construction workers will lose their jobs," said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association's chief executive officer. "The best way to boost employment and help the economy is to invest in basics like clean water and set predictable tax rates."
Warren Chimes In
Democratic Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren was quick use the trade group's report to bolster her plans for infrastructure improvement projects throughout the Commonwealth.
“This report highlights what we already know – we have construction workers who need jobs and crumbling roads and bridges that need repairs," Warren said in a statement.
"Smart investments in transportation, communications, and education infrastructure will not only create jobs now, it will lay the groundwork for a healthier economy for the years to come.”
Warren went on to accuse her opponent, Republican Senator Scott Brown, of voting against bills that would have supported construction jobs, including 11,000 workers in Massachusetts alone.
The statement from Warren's campaign outlined a seven-step "Rebuild Now" plan, which called for investment in air and surface transportation, education reform, increased access to wireless broadband, the creation of a National Infrastructure Bank, and more flexibility for states to use federal highway funds for transit projects, among other initiatives.
Brown Campaign Fires Back
Brown rolled out his own "Small Business Owners for Brown" initiative on Friday during an event in Woburn.
"Since being elected, Scott Brown has stood by small businesses in working to make Massachusetts a business-friendly environment by maintaining regulatory and tax certainty," said Paula Benard, a member of the new coalition.
Brown's Press Secretary Alleigh Marré characterized Warren's plan to continue Obama-era policies but expect different results as "the definition of insanity."
"We tried a stimulus in 2009 and it failed; all we got was higher debt and fewer jobs," Marré said.
"Not only is Professor Warren proposing a new trillion-dollar stimulus that would add to our record debt, she also supports a $3.4 trillion tax increase, the largest since World War II. Professor Warren’s economic policies would hurt businesses and cost us jobs. She is a jobs destroyer.”
Related Articles
- NEW: Hundreds of Construction Jobs to be Created in Central Mass.
- NEW: Worcester Mayor Announces School Construction Projects
- Councilors Voice Concern Over City Square Jobs and Zoning
- 6,600 New Jobs in MA
- Brown Warns Voters Tax Hike Will Cost Mass 100,000 Jobs
- Grace Ross: Less Talk, More Jobs!
- Minorities Frozen out of City Jobs in Worcester
- The Deadliest Jobs in Massachusetts
Enjoy this post? Share it with others.
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.
Comments:
Edward Saucier
3:13pm on Sunday, August 19, 2012
Liz Warren is correct about Brown voting against Mass. jobs. The Brown people did not dispute that as far as I could see. But his lackey Alleigh Marré did have the definition of insanity a little bit off key. Which is SOP for republicans. They do well if they get anything half right. The definition in most cases is attributed to Albert Einstein, but it lacks evidence.
Alleigh Marré was also wrong about the stimulus plan. It saved thousands of jobs and created some more but due to republican obstructions not as many as we could have created.
No mention that the republicans under Jr. Bush added trillions to the National Debt. with two unnecessary invasions of other countries and income tax decreases because Bill Clinton left him with a budget surplus. We won't mention the pals of Bush aka the big banksters who really screwed the pooch with their free market anything goes financial disaster economic policies.
How come those people expect Obama to fix everything it took BushCo eight years to destroy in just three or four years when republicans are tripping him up every step of the way? Anyone figured that one out yet?
And that tax increase Warren wants and Alleigh tries to make you think pertains to the middle class really involved only the high rollers and big buck makers. Republicans are high on truthiness and low on truth. They should seek medical attention for that mental problem.