ATLANTA --- Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond says people figure he has the toughest job in Georgia, but he disagrees.
First, he at least has a job; 500,000 Georgians don't. Second, he's upbeat in spreading hope as he travels the state talking to the out of work, who are more likely to be white men than the black women that dominated the unemployment lines of past economic downturns.
"I'm not depressed," he said. "I know every recession ends."
To come up with a way to spark new jobs, Mr. Thurmond is calling for a bipartisan summit. Such a gathering could draw from the best minds in Georgia for ideas on how the state can climb out of its job slump.
The disappearance of construction and manufacturing jobs has hit white males harder than other demographic groups. Many of them have never been out of work or unable to support their families, leading to a sense of hopelessness that prevents them from gaining new skills for the jobs that are available. That makes them structurally unemployed and in need of creative solutions, Mr. Thurmond said Wednesday at a luncheon held by the Georgia Public Policy Foundation.
The foundation began planning to hold the summit in early January, in time to impact the General Assembly and next year's budget, said foundation President Kelly McCutchen. He said the goal is to develop workable ideas, possibly with the advice of national figures.
Republican lawmakers who saw Mr. Thurmond on Thursday at a job fair in Dalton say they were impressed with his organization skills and energy.
"Everybody I saw speak to him seemed very appreciative of what he's done," Rep. Tom Dickson, R-Cohutta, said.
That enthusiasm and organization could make a summit come together, according to Rep. Roger Williams, R-Dalton.
"There's a lot of expertise out there as far as industry and business goes," he said. "If anybody could put it together, Commissioner Thurmond could do it."
Mr. Thurmond said Friday that he doesn't have an agenda he wants to push. Success will probably take a combination of ideas: tax cuts and expenditures in education and publicity about available resources for those needing retraining, he said.
UNEMPLOYMENT TRUST FUND LOW
ATLANTA --- Georgia's unemployment trust fund has less than the amount needed for one month of payouts, forcing the state to seek a loan from the federal government, Georgia Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond said Friday.
"I'm down to my last $130 million," he said.
The fund is paying out $140 million in monthly benefits.
Mr. Thurmond has briefed Gov. Sonny Perdue and begun discussions with the federal government about taking advantage of a 12-month, interest-free loan, he said. Already, 24 states have taken similar loans, which were provided as part of the federal stimulus legislation.
He will decide about requesting the funds in the second week of December.
Mr. Thurmond promised that everyone due benefits would receive them.
In 1998, the trust fund was so flush with cash that Mr. Thurmond supported giving employers a holiday on paying premiums into the trust fund. Projections at the time calculated the premiums foregone at $1 billion.
"I think lower taxes helped spur economic growth," he said Friday.
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