Bill Owens: Where Are The Jobs?

Statement

Our current congressman knows that a good job is top priority for residents of the 23rd Congressional District. Yet since he's taken office, unemployment in all 11 counties in his district has increased.

"It's clear Bill Owens' support for President Obama's stimulus and his subsequent votes for job-killing legislation like ObamaCare has hurt our economy deeply," said Matt Doheny, a Republican candidate for the new 21st Congressional District. "The president promised us that national unemployment would be at 5.7 percent by now if the stimulus became law. Instead, we're looking at the 40th straight month of unemployment at 8 percent or greater."

Doheny continued: "The situation is more dire in the north country and Central New York. Every county that my opponent represents, in whole or part, has seen their unemployment rate rise since he took office. Even comparing April 2010 to April 2012, the disastrously high unemployment rate has remained unchanged or increased in eight of those counties."

"Our current congressman told us his top priority was job creation," Doheny concluded. "If we judge him by the standard he set for himself, it's clear that the north country and Central New York are far worse off now than they were two years ago."

UNEMPLOYMENT RATES IN THE 23rd CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

· Clinton: 8.9% in November 2009; 10.5% in April 2010; 9.6% in April 2012
· Essex: 9.4% in November 2009; 10.7% in April 2010; 10.7% in April 2012
· Franklin: 8.9% in November 2009; 10.5% in April 2010; 9.7% in April 2012
· Fulton: 9.8% in November 2009; 10% in April 2010; 10.6% in April 2012
· Hamilton: 9.4% in November 2009; 10.2% in April 2010; 11.7% in April 2012
· Jefferson: 9% in November 2009; 10.1% in April 2010; 9.7% in April 2012
· Lewis: 8.1% in November 2009; 9.6% in April 2010; 10.2% in April 2012
· Madison: 7.7% in November 2009; 8.1% in April 2010; 8.3% in April 2012
· Oneida: 7.3% in November 2009; 7.5% in April 2010; 8% in April 2012
· Oswego: 9.6% in November 2009; 10% in April 2010; 9.8% in April 2012
· St. Lawrence: 9.4% in November 2009; 10.5% in April 2010; 10.1% in April 2012

Owens was sworn into Congress on Nov. 6, 2009.

Source