Levesque to Michaud: Where are the Jobs?
Unemployment Figures: Tale of Two Maines.

AUBURN (October 22, 2009) - Jason Levesque, candidate in Maine's 2nd Congressional District, challenged Rep. Mike Michaud's record on providing jobs following release of the state unemployment report.

"Mike Michaud voted for bills which added millions of dollars to the deficit on the promise that they would provide jobs. But where are the jobs?" Levesque asked.

Mike Michaud's hometown area has the highest joblessness in Maine with a 14.5% unemployment rate in the Millinocket labor market. The 2nd Congressional District is one of the worst hit in New England.

"This is really the Tale of Two Maines: joblessness is high in the 1st District but it pales in comparison to the 2nd District, where nine labor markets have double digit unemployment rates. Mike Michaud is so obscure in Washington that he's totally ineffective in helping put people back to work," Levesque said.

Levesque continued, "Many are wondering: how did the government get this so wrong?  It's actually a very simple answer: we continue to send career politicians like Mike Michaud who have no real-world job creating experience."

Levesque said Congress should be looking for ways to help small businesses prosper and create new jobs but, instead, it keeps adding more bureaucratic obstacles and new regulatory burdens which stifle growth and kill jobs.

"Mike Michaud doesn't understand what it takes to invest in a community and meet a payroll. Instead, he foments anti-business rhetoric among working people which only leads them down a slippery path to the unemployment office, creating a culture of dependency," Levesque said. "Maine workers deserve jobs, not empty promises and Band-aids."

NOTE:

State Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman released Maine's seasonally-adjusted unemployment data for September 2009 on Wednesday (Oct. 21).

2nd CD counties: Piscataquis 11.5%, Franklin 11.2%, Oxford 10.9%, Somerset 10.7%, Washington 10.4%, Aroostook 9.3%, Androscoggin 8.4%, Penobscot 8.0%, Waldo 7.8%, Kennebec (split CD) 7.3%., Hancock 6.8%.

1st CD counties: York 7.4%, Kennebec (split CD) 7.3%, Knox 7.0%, Sagadahoc 6.7%, Cumberland 6.5%, Lincoln 6.3%.

In the split Kennebec County, the Augusta labor market (1st CD) had a 7.0% unemployment rate; Waterville labor market (2nd CD) had an 8.0% unemployment rate.

Other 2nd CD labor markets: Millinocket 14.5%, Rumford 14.0%, Calais 13%, Pittsfield 12.3%, Dover-Foxcroft 11.7%, Houlton 11.4%, Farmington 11.3%, Lincoln 10.7%, Skowhegan 10.4%, Madawaska 9.4%, Presque Isle 8.8%, Machias 8.7%, Lewiston-Auburn 8.4%, Belfast 8.0%, Bangor 7.2%, Ellsworth 6.8%.

Vic Berardelli, Communications Director
(207) 234-4549
LEVESQUE FOR CONGRESS
P.O. BOX 1387
Auburn, ME 04211
www.levesqueforcongress.com