Florida unemployment below national rate - WFLA-TV Newschannel 8

Florida unemployment below national rate

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ORLANDO, FL -

For the first time in almost five years, Florida unemployment rate fell below the national average, according to the governor's office report. This is the lowest rate reported since November 2008, officials said.

Gov. Rick Scott announced Monday in Orlando that 282,200 private-sector jobs were created in the state since December 2010. This state's unemployment rate is now at 7.8% which is 0.1% lower than the national rate, according to the report.

"Other states chose to raise taxes. Other states chose to increase debt. In Florida, we chose the course of economic growth and greater job creation by cutting taxes and paying down debt for the first time in decades by $2 billion," said Scott.

Florida's private-sector jobs increased by 14,700 over the month, according to the governor's office report.

"Everything we do is geared toward job creation," Scott said. "Today we have more proof that It's working."

Monday's announcement is the results of the annual process of the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity calculating and releasing January employment and unemployment estimates and historical data. This is called "benchmarking" and is done nation-wide.

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