Statement

Governor Martin O'Malley today released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Labor's release of preliminary employment data for the month of September:
"Last month, Marylanders created 9,800 new jobs -- the single greatest month of job creation in 29 months and the result of a thriving private sector that created 98 percent of all new jobs in September. Together, we've driven our unemployment rate down to 6.9 percent, which remains 12 percent below the national average. This past year, we've created 25,500 new jobs and to date, Maryland has recovered over three-quarters of the jobs we've lost during the Bush recession.

"Thanks to choices we've made together, Maryland remains a leader in one of the nation's strongest job growth regions. Our economy continues to grow and our indicators of economic strength show signs of a strong recovery. This week, we announced that Maryland's unemployment tax rate will drop by as much as 55 percent for our businesses --keeping even more of our families working. Our private sector continues to create jobs, and as the hub of growing innovation sectors like cyber security, information technology and aerospace, we continue to prove that we are on the cutting edge of the next wave of job creation."