By Mark Scott
Albany, NY – The unemployment rate in the Buffalo-Niagara region dropped one-tenth of a point to 6.5 percent in December. The state Labor Department says the local jobless rate is still running a bit ahead of year ago levels.
The area did lose 2,300 jobs since December 2002, but the year to year loss in private sector jobs was just 500.
Statewide, the unemployment rate rose to 6.2 percent last month, up slightly from November's rate of 6.1 percent.
"New York continues its recovery from the long-term effects of the national recession," said David J. Trzaskos, acting director of the Division of Research and Statistics.