Beebe: Arkansas will lead the way during economic recovery

Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe was the cheerleader-in-chief Wednesday, telling an audience gathered at the Arkansas Works education meeting at the Van Buren High School that the state is positioned to do well when the economy recovers.

“We’re going to come out of this national recession,” Beebe said emphatically, adding that the job of economic development and education officials is to ensure Arkansas’ businesses and workers are “positioned to lead the way” once the recovery begins.

Beebe cited improved scores in advanced placement tests, the stable financial condition of the state’s education system and the state’s balanced budget as reasons why other state governments are looking to Arkansas for answers.

“The point is, something superior is happening in your state,” Beebe told the crowd, again adding that much of that is through more focus on linking education to economic development.

That economic recovery needs to hurry.

Arkansas’ unemployment rate hit 7.2% in June, with an estimated 98,756 Arkansans unemployed — or 45.6% more unemployed than in June 2008. The unemployment rate for the Fort Smith metro area was 7.8% in June. There were an estimated 11,065 unemployed in the Fort Smith metro area in June, up 62.3% over the 6,814 unemployed in June 2008.

Rep. Rick Green, R-Van Buren, attended the event and said the Fort Smith area has unfortunately been hit harder than other parts of the state because of the “heavy reliance” on manufacturing jobs. Green said the economic problems in the Fort Smith area “have the attention of Gov. Beebe,” with Green adding that the Governor’s office is sensitive to doing what it can to improve regional economic conditions.

Just recently, Whirlpool announced 300 layoffs effective Sept. 14 at its Fort Smith refrigerator production plant. The plant, which employed 4,500 in early 2006, now employs about 1,350.

Green also said this recession should serve as a lesson in economic diversification.

“I think manufacturing as we know it is going away … or will be greatly reduced,” Green explained. “We’re going to have to get to a more technical, a more professional services environment to stay ahead economically.”