Politics & Government
You Said It: What Do You Think of Obama's Jobs Plan?
After President Obama shared his new jobs bill with the public last week, some Marylanders still see a long road ahead for their own economic recovery.
The country's unemployment rate is soaring at 9.1 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
See how area counties stack up (below) and watch the video to hear from Howard County about Obama's job plan.
County
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Unemployment rate
Baltimore
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7.9 percent
Prince George's
7.5 percent
Anne Arundel
7 percent
Carroll 6.7 percentHoward
5.7 percent
Montgomery 5.5 percentStatewide, the unemployment rate is 7.2 percent.
"[Maryland Gov. Martin] O'Malley and Obama have a close relationship," said Laura Hussey, assistant professor in political science at UMBC. "I wouldn’t be surprised in particular if Maryland has a lot to gain, assuming that the bill passes as a whole package."
As part of the plan, Obama said he wants to do the following:
- cut taxes for employers who hire workers or increase current workers' wages
- provide funds to state and local governments to prevent the layoff of teachers, police officers and other first responders
- help homeowners refinance their mortgages at lower rates
On Wednesday, the president was on the road rallying citizens to get behind the American Jobs Act, which he said "cannot wait until after the November 2012 presidential and congressional elections, as some lawmakers would like," according to Voice of America.
