NYS Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli addresses Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce (December 8, 2023)
State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said there’s cautious optimism when it comes to New York State finances.
DiNapoli, speaking at the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce‘s annual meeting, said while the impact of the pandemic is “in the rearview,” COVID-19 is not gone totally, “You know, we are still in a recovery mode. And, I would say, when people ask me how the state is doing, ‘We’re doing okay.’ Are we doing great? No, I wouldn’t say that. But when you consider how low everything had been some three years ago or so, we certainly see more positive than negative and I think that’s an important context to keep in mind.”
DiNapoli said the state has returned to pre-COVID levels for job recovery. He said sectors that have fully recovered include financial services, educational services, professional services, healthcare, and social assistance.
Here in Chautauqua County, DiNapoli said the unemployment rate for October is 3.7%, which is better than New York State’s rate of 4.2%. He said 800 jobs were added in the county in 2022, “The highest employment gains seem to be in accommodations and food services industry, hospitality with 280 jobs. Manufacturing, which had really struggled in the years pre-pandemic, added about 200 jobs. So, the numbers that I saw, the employment picture in October 2023, you’re at a point where you’re back to the pre-pandemic levels and that’s very, very good news.”
When it comes to manufacturing, DiNapoli said employment numbers seemed to have leveled off compared to the past decade before the pandemic and seems to be growing.
He said 20% of the jobs in the county are government related, including school districts. Wages increased from 2021 to 2022 6.2% in Chautauqua County with total wages at $130 million. The wholesale trade industry saw the biggest wage increase locally at 7.9% with a 7.5% increase in the utilities industry.
Also at Friday’s meeting, the Chamber presented the Pam Lydic Coalition Builder Award to Bishop Leecroft Clarke.
Bishop Clarke is currently the part-time project director for the I. D. E. A. Coalition (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accesssibility) whose mission is to make Chautauqua County a place where everyone belongs and has opportunities to thrive.
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