CO. economist forecasts local economy

There’s uncertainty when it comes to the national economy.  On the state level, however, Colorado economist Richard Wobbekind says there's hope for places like Mesa County that are taking longer to recover.

When it comes to the fiscal cliff, Wobbekind urges the local unemployed to pay attention. He thinks it’s likely that unemployment benefits will be capped at a shorter duration, meaning people who've been on unemployment for a long time may lose their benefits.

“It has a positive benefit in term of pushing people into the labor force and really increasing supply,” Woobekind said.  “It obviously has negative benefits for people who have good skill sets and still remain chronically unemployed.”

Wobbekind spent the afternoon with the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce, sharing his forecast for our local economy. He believes Mesa County has finally bottomed out and says things are getting better here.

The chamber is recognizing five companies for making capital investments of over $5.6 million and creating close to 170 new jobs.