Duke Aiona Statement on Unemployment Figures

HONOLULU - Lt. Governor Duke Aiona issued the following statement in response to figures released this morning showing the national unemployment rate rose to 9.6 percent in August.

"While Hawai‘i has made significant gains to put our residents back to work, our economic recovery is being slowed at the federal level by inefficient and out-of-control spending.

"It's not how much we spend, but how we spend it that makes a positive difference.

"Instead of an over-reliance on government spending, we must continue to focus our efforts on cultivating a business-friendly environment that creates job opportunities and instills confidence and transparency in government.

"Government doesn't create the jobs that fuel our economy over the long term, but we can make it easier for those who do."

Lt. Governor Duke Aiona's policy agenda for jobs and the economy can be found online at www.DukeAiona.com/future/jobs.

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