Governor Beebe's Weekly Column and Radio Address: Working Every Day for Jobs in Arkansas

Statement

Governor Beebe's Weekly Column and Radio Address: Working Every Day for Jobs in Arkansas

The stalling national economy has left deep imprints on Arkansas over the past few weeks. As our business community comes to grips with the severity of the current financial crisis, we've seen increased layoffs in all corners of the State and from companies of all sizes - from giants of industry, like Wal-Mart, to small, local, family-owned enterprises. While this is a terrible hardship, our economic outlook is not entirely bleak, and Arkansas finds itself in a much stronger position than many other states.

This past week provided especially stark examples of the challenges and opportunities before us. On Tuesday night, I traveled to Union County to meet with several hundred plant workers and poultry growers, facing unemployment following Pilgrim's Pride's decision to shut down its processing operation in El Dorado. This was a serious blow to the region, and the stress was palpable in the room full of families whose futures are suddenly uncertain. Whenever these terrible situations arise, we bring the full resources of Arkansas government to these communities, especially our Division of Workforce Services, which steps in immediately to help with temporary assistance, job training, and job-search efforts.

The very next morning, as I attended the grand opening of AT&T's new technical support center in Little Rock, it was heartening to be able to announce the creation of nearly 200 new jobs in Central Arkansas. And so goes our situation - while our unemployment has risen, our State still fares much better than most, even in this troubling economy.

Of course, I recognize that new investments don't change the situation of families facing layoffs around the State. I know people out there are hurting; I saw it on the faces of the plant workers in El Dorado and Clinton. And I've seen it before - I watched my single mother struggle to support us on a waitress's tips, and hearing good news taking place elsewhere didn't help us pay our bills.

But my message is this: every Arkansan should know that we are working day and night to attract new investment, to grow and diversify our economy, and to create new jobs in our State. The deepening national recession means that we just have to redouble our economic-development efforts and become more diligent and creative in bringing new investment here. It is a priority of the highest order, and I will never stop fighting to win new jobs for Arkansans.

State government isn't responsible when companies are faced with the unfortunate decision of letting people go, but I do believe government has the responsibility of supporting those who lose their jobs through no fault of their own. For those who face uncertain futures in El Dorado, Clinton and elsewhere around Arkansas, we will help you weather this storm and provide tools to get you back on your feet. And to everyone else, never doubt that we will work long and hard, every single day, to create new jobs, attract new investment, and move Arkansas forward.

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