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Cochise County jobless rate is lowest in state
By Derek Jordan/Wick Communications
Cochise County posted the state's lowest jobless rate Thursday, thanks to a safety net of federal jobs and a new call center, said local business experts and economic researchers.
New figures from the state Department of Commerce put Arizona's seasonally adjusted rate at 8.7 percent in June. That compares with 8.2 percent for May and 5.5 percent a year earlier.
Cochise County is faring better than the state at large and better than any other county, with a seasonally adjusted total unemployment rate of 7.2 percent.
That can be directly attributed to Sierra Vista's low jobless rate, said Robert Shepard, executive director of the Sierra Vista Economic Development Foundation.
Fort Huachuca and the defense contractors associated with it have kept Sierra Vista's unemployment down to just 3.1 percent, Shepard said.
"It's all driven by the mission of the fort and the defense contractors," he said.
The success of these contractors helps attract even more business to the area, said Susan Tegmeyer, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Sierra Vista Area Chamber of Commerce.
"We still have businesses and contractors looking at the area," Tegmeyer said. "As I talk to people around the state ... they tell me that we are doing far better than anywhere else in Arizona."
The jobs in the defense contracting business are shielded from the recession, thanks to their ties with the federal government, said Robert Carreira, director of the Cochise County Center for Economic Research.
"State and local governments have to spend less during recessions, while the federal government actually spends more money," Carreira said.
The principle includes employees of federal agencies such the U.S. Border Patrol.
"The increased emphasis on the border has also created a lot of jobs that aren't affected by the recession," Carreira said.
Apart from the security of federal government jobs, the other major factor contributing to Cochise County's low unemployment numbers is the new Advance Call Center Technologies site in Douglas.
The facility created 400 jobs when it opened last winter, Carreira said, and "that's going to have a pretty substantial impact on the unemployment rate."
Without the job growth from the call center, the county's unemployment rate would be at about 7.8 percent, as opposed to 7.2 percent, he said.
That 7.2 percentage, however, was an increase from May, when the county had a seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 6.9 percent. The rate also increased from June 2008, when the county had a seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 5.2 percent.
Still, among the counties and metropolitan areas listed in the state jobless report, Cochise County's rate was lowest. Yuma County had the state's highest jobless rate for June, 19.8 percent.
Herald/Review reporter Derek Jordan can be reached at 515-4680 or by e-mail at derek.jordan@svherald.com.
New figures from the state Department of Commerce put Arizona's seasonally adjusted rate at 8.7 percent in June. That compares with 8.2 percent for May and 5.5 percent a year earlier.
Cochise County is faring better than the state at large and better than any other county, with a seasonally adjusted total unemployment rate of 7.2 percent.
That can be directly attributed to Sierra Vista's low jobless rate, said Robert Shepard, executive director of the Sierra Vista Economic Development Foundation.
Fort Huachuca and the defense contractors associated with it have kept Sierra Vista's unemployment down to just 3.1 percent, Shepard said.
"It's all driven by the mission of the fort and the defense contractors," he said.
The success of these contractors helps attract even more business to the area, said Susan Tegmeyer, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Sierra Vista Area Chamber of Commerce.
"We still have businesses and contractors looking at the area," Tegmeyer said. "As I talk to people around the state ... they tell me that we are doing far better than anywhere else in Arizona."
The jobs in the defense contracting business are shielded from the recession, thanks to their ties with the federal government, said Robert Carreira, director of the Cochise County Center for Economic Research.
"State and local governments have to spend less during recessions, while the federal government actually spends more money," Carreira said.
The principle includes employees of federal agencies such the U.S. Border Patrol.
"The increased emphasis on the border has also created a lot of jobs that aren't affected by the recession," Carreira said.
Apart from the security of federal government jobs, the other major factor contributing to Cochise County's low unemployment numbers is the new Advance Call Center Technologies site in Douglas.
The facility created 400 jobs when it opened last winter, Carreira said, and "that's going to have a pretty substantial impact on the unemployment rate."
Without the job growth from the call center, the county's unemployment rate would be at about 7.8 percent, as opposed to 7.2 percent, he said.
That 7.2 percentage, however, was an increase from May, when the county had a seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 6.9 percent. The rate also increased from June 2008, when the county had a seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 5.2 percent.
Still, among the counties and metropolitan areas listed in the state jobless report, Cochise County's rate was lowest. Yuma County had the state's highest jobless rate for June, 19.8 percent.
Herald/Review reporter Derek Jordan can be reached at 515-4680 or by e-mail at derek.jordan@svherald.com.
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