Top market for contractors, oh yes we are!

And you don't have to take our word for it.

Take Ken Simonson's when he said that if he were a contractor looking at where in this country to open up operations, he would look at Puget Sound. As chief economist for the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America, Simonson knows his business.

His quote comes from a February 4 story in the Daily Journal of Commerce focused on construction jobs and the economy around the nation. Turns out that last year 24 states added construction workers, 24 shed them and two had no change — but Washington state posted strong results.

According to the AGC, our state ranked third in construction jobs added over the year, with 9,000 people finding work. And we were tied for fourth in the percentage of new jobs added, at 6.5 percent. 




SR 520 bridge.  Photo: Wash. State Dept. of Transportation

And who's creating many of these jobs? Well, what do you know, it's the state!
That's right, with big projects like the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement and the new State Route 520 floating bridge.

So the next time you hear someone saying that government doesn't create jobs, invite them to read the Daily Journal of Commerce story for the facts. 

Read this story in Spanish.