Job Growth

A report last year that Maryland ranked last in the nation for job creation over the previous 12 months deserves a response ("Maryland ranks last in job creation," June 18). Let's get rid of the Baltimore Development Corporation, the Maryland Economic Development Group, and any public or quasi-public group in this state that has business development in its charter. Think of all the millions of dollars we could save to put to better use, such as lowering the personal and corporate tax rates here.

The Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act of 2013 will provide crucially needed funding for improving, expanding and building transportation projects throughout Maryland. Projects critical to continued economic growth throughout Central Maryland - such as the Red Line in Baltimore, the Purple Line in Prince George's and Montgomery counties, highway projects in Harford and Howard counties, and expansion of the MARC commuter rail service - can now move forward. The dedication of $100 million to the MARC system to fund weekend service on the Penn Line, add two more trains on the Camden Line during weekday hours, and purchase new locomotives is a major step forward in creating a regional rail system that both supports and is a catalyst for economic development.

My father has worked at the same furniture manufacturing company for over 30 years. He has worked his way up from an entry level position to the senior director of manufacturing. The company has grown and shrunk many times along the way. As projects were secured, they had the flexibility to hire up to 100 people to get the job done. This is how a business should work, right? Well, this is no longer an option. Currently, his company employs 55 people. Under the regulations of Obamacare effective in January, a heavy fine will have to be paid by companies with over 50 employees that do not provide health insurance.

Under Armour plans to hire hundreds of workers at its Locust Point headquarters this year, expand facilities on its campus and bring its brand of sports apparel and footwear to new markets in the U.S. and around the world. CEO Kevin Plank outlined the goals Tuesday while promising shareholders more of the rapid growth that has defined the $1.8 billion company in recent years. During an annual meeting in which Under Armour pitchman and record-setting Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps made a surprise appearance, Plank said the company is just beginning to make inroads in areas such as athletic footwear, women's sports apparel and international markets, with room to grow.

Mass layoffs spiked in July as Maryland job growth continued to slow, a sign that the sputtering national economy is hitting home. Employers added a total of 500 jobs, with more brisk hiring in the private sector tempered by the loss of temporary Census Bureau positions, the U.S. Department of Labor estimated Friday. That's the smallest increase since the state switched course from losses to gains in March, according to figures adjusted to account for seasonal changes in hiring and layoffs.

Gov. Martin O'Malley on Thursday afternoon signed into law a package of bills aimed at spurring job growth in the state, including a $5,000 tax credit for businesses that hire off the unemployment rolls. O'Malley had initially proposed a $3,000 credit, but state lawmakers bumped up that amount. Asked about the change, O'Malley said the approved credit "won't create as many jobs" but said "the ones it does create, it will create them a lot sooner." President Barack Obama has proposed a similar $1,000 tax credit for businesses that hire out-of-work Americans.

I was recently one of the many citizens to attend the public workshop about the Baltimore Washington Intermodal Facility. I was impressed by the sheer volume of information presented. I am looking forward to additional information as plans progress, and encourage my fellow community members to be a part of this process as it continues. We need to let the process work and recognize the benefits of this facility to Maryland, wherever it is sited. We also have to remember that in order to grow the current job offerings in our community we need to objectively evaluate all opportunities presented.

Maryland's economists and business leaders are treating the state economy like it's Punxsutawney Phil, the nation's official groundhog: If they cross their fingers and watch closely, they believe, they can see signs that an economic springtime is just around the corner.That was the tone at yesterday's second annual Maryland Chamber of Commerce Economic Outlook, presented to several hundred people at the Stouffer Harborplace Hotel."The Maryland economy is expected to show moderate growth in terms of gross state product, personal income, retail sales and tax revenues," said a report prepared for the chamber by a panel of economists at several of Maryland's colleges and universities.

WASHINGTON -- Employment figures released yesterday provided the clearest evidence to date that the economy has slowed from last year's unsustainable pace, but that it retains enough strength to avoid braking too severely.Job growth slackened in August as the unemployment rate, 6.1 percent, stood at essentially the same level for a fourth straight month, the Labor Department reported yesterday. The rate had fallen markedly early this year.The data, which provide the first broad view of economic performance for the month, seemed to reduce further the chance that the Federal Reserve would raise short-term interest rates again at its policy meeting this month.

MARYLAND is a rich state in a rich country, its $46,685 median household income third only to New Jersey and Alaska.But as in many other things economic, Maryland's wealth and income hasn't kept up with the growth of its neighbors."

The Baltimore Development Corp., the city's economic development agency, is looking for an outside consultant to provide an analysis of the city's "economic development landscape," according to a request for applications issued Tuesday. The consultant is being asked to assess the city's "existing economic conditions, obstacles, opportunities for expansion, and strengths," as well as identify "priorities and options to move the City's economy forward" and figure out a way "to track the success of new initiatives in terms of job growth, investment, and economic impact," according to the request for proposals.

Raising the minimum wage from $7.25 to $9 should be a no-brainer. Republicans say it will cause employers to shed jobs, but that's baloney. Employers won't outsource the jobs abroad or substitute machines for them, because jobs at this low level of pay are all in the local personal-service sector (retail, restaurant, hotel and so on), where employers pass on small wage hikes to customers as pennies more on their bills. States that have set their minimum wage closer to $9 than the current federal minimum don't have higher rates of unemployment than do states still at the federal minimum.

The latest report from the nonpartisan Economic Policy Institute makes a compelling case for raising the minimum wage, nationally and in Maryland. Legislation introduced last week in Annapolis would raise the minimum from $7.25 an hour to $10 in two years and keep it indexed to inflation - a move that EPI says will not only put $778 million more in the pockets of Maryland workers but create 4,280 new jobs from increased economic activity generated by the higher pay. We know that the reaction to many in the business community will be, as it has always been, unyielding opposition.

Maryland's economy shed 3,100 jobs in November, the latest U-turn in a bumpy year overshadowed by the fast-approaching "fiscal cliff," according to federal data released Friday. The U.S. Department of Labor also sharply revised downward its estimate for October, saying that Maryland employers added 4,700 jobs rather than the 14,000 in its preliminary report. Maryland's unemployment rate in November fell slightly to 6.6 percent, possibly the result of more people commuting out of state or starting their own businesses.

I wish President Barack Obama would explain to the nation that the federal budget deficit isn't the nation's major economic problem and deficit reduction shouldn't be our major goal. Our biggest problem is lack of good jobs and sufficient growth. And our goal must be to revive both. Deficit reduction leads us in the opposite direction -- away from jobs and growth. The reason the "fiscal cliff" is dangerous (and it's not really a "cliff" but more like a hill, because we won't fall off it immediately on Jan. 1)

Maryland employers turned in a third consecutive month of job growth with a large gain of 14,000 positions in October, the federal government said Tuesday — a much better trend after five months of losses. The state's unemployment rate improved to 6.7 percent in October as a result of the expansion, down from 6.9 percent in September and 7.1 percent in August, the U.S. Department of Labor said. James Bohnaker, an associate economist with Moody's Analytics, called the October jobs performance "a huge gain," one that comes on the heels of an also substantial 9,500-job increase in September.

Thanks to a year-end spurt of job creation, the city of Baltimore posted its best employment growth last year since 1999, according to preliminary figures disclosed yesterday by the Labor Department. No doubt gubernatorial candidate Martin O'Malley will quickly heap credit on Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, especially if the city's homicide rate keeps up its dismal January pace. "Today, job growth has returned to Baltimore," O'Malley's campaign Web site trumpeted even before yesterday's figures came out. But as is often the case, politicians should be careful about claiming to generate economic growth - or at least this politician.

ACCORDING TO the newest data, Maryland's economy looks bad.The state's in recession, if you believe the numbers. We seem to be losing jobs faster than we're creating them -- for the first time in five years.Total state employment in December was 2,600 jobs less than in December 1994, according to the federal government's Bureau of Labor Statistics. In November the deficit was 1,800 jobs compared with the same month in 1994. That's a slide down from slight growth of 11,500 jobs -- 0.5 percent -- for August.

U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin celebrated his election to a second term with a traditional breakfast at Fells Point diner Jimmy's Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. "I'm kind of a boring guy: Egg white omelet. So that's what I got this morning with my grits," he said. "It was delicious. " Cardin sat at a table with U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, who was not facing re-election this year, and Del. Maggie McIntosh. After finishing his meal, Cardin walked through the restaurant and talked to other diners, apologizing if he had caused them any inconvenience.

When Mitt Romney ran for Massachusetts governor in 2002, the private equity magnate said he was uniquely qualified to create jobs, particularly in the private sector, and to lure employers to the Bay State. Instead, under his leadership the state was the fourth-weakest in the country for total job growth and the third-weakest for private-sector job growth - causing hundreds of thousands of his fellow residents to leave Massachusetts, seeking opportunities elsewhere, the data show.