From the Sioux Falls Argus Leader;
Sioux Falls unemployment: 4.7 percent
 According to statistics released today by the state Department of Labor, the rate jumped a full percentage point since December, when unemployment was at 3.7 percent. The statewide rate is 4.4 percent, and Rapid City is at 5.1 percent.
 Statistics from before 1990 were not immediately available.
The national unemployment figure for February is 8.1 percent.
Hopefully after seeing these numbers City Hall will wakeup and realize the time is now to make cuts to the 2009 budget, not waiting around for ‘more checks’ as the finance director has indicated. Jumping a full percentage point in one month is not a sign that things are getting better. If we continue to ignore the bad news this is going to end up biting us in the ass. The tax increase should be revoked also without going to a public vote and all CIP projects that are decorative need to be put on hold and reviewed again in the fall.