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Trend News
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Add graphs from the
Trends site to your presentations and documents
Did you know that you can insert trends graphs directly into your
presentations and documents? Use your mouse to right-click on the graph,
select "Save image," and save the image to the desired location
on your computer. To insert the graph into a presentation or document, use
your software's "Insert image" function. The graph will appear on
a white background with the title and legend.
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New site provides
visual for US indicators
The recently launched State of
the USA website (http://www.stateoftheusa.org)
provides a unique visual for various indicators on a national level.
Nonprofit and nonpartisan, State of the USA aims to help Americans
assess the progress of our country through the use of statistical data
utilizing visual aids. What makes State of the USA unique is their
use of national data for a variety of different topic areas, and their use
of animated and interactive displays in their Key National Indicator
System. more...
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Indicator-specific
webinars available on the CIC website
In August, the Community Indicators Consortium began offering free
informative webinars on topics unique to community indicators projects. The
webinars are part of an effort to help provide opportunities to learn,
interact, and share ideas to create a vibrant indicators community. The
first, titled "Integrating Community Indicators and Performance
Measures to Enhance Governance and Citizen Engagement," profiles the
need to link efforts at the community level to better engage the public and
community leaders. Additionally, the webinars highlight successful
indicator projects, such as those in Broward County, Florida and
Albuquerque, New Mexico. more...
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Walla Walla Trends is
on Facebook
Do you have a Facebook profile? Be one of the first to learn about updated
trends and news about the Trends site by "liking" Walla Walla
Trends on Facebook. Follow the link here or click on the blue Facebook icon at the bottom
of the Trends site.
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Recidivism trends
pulled from Trends site
The Washington State Sentencing Guidelines Commission no longer has the
staff to compile data on recidivism due to budget restrictions. The
recidivism trends from the Public Safety category on the Trends site -
Assault & Sex Offence, Drug Crime, Property Crime, and Murder &
Manslaughter - have not been updated since 2007 and have thus been removed
from the Trends site. New Public Safety trends will be forthcoming.
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Featured
Trends
Indicator analysis
prepared by Anna Halloran and Patrick Jones
Institute for Public Policy and Economic Analysis, EWU
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Recent growth in
assessed value of taxable property has slowed
The tax revenue generated from taxable property is a vital revenue source
for local governments. In Walla Walla County, property tax revenues help
fund a variety of different local government services, including public
schools, county and city governments, the Port, fire and EMS services,
parks, libraries, and county road maintenance. Due to the significant
contribution property tax revenue provides and the wealth it represents,
the assessed value of taxable property is often a good measure of economic
vitality for a community. Trend
2.4 on the Trends site explores this value for Walla Walla County. more...
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Housing is more
affordable in Walla Walla County than other areas in the state
It's no secret that the housing
market across the nation has been suffering. Foreclosures are at an all time
high, buyers are wary and scarce, and mortgages are harder to come by.
However, for Walla Walla County, homeownership is more affordable than the
state as a whole. Trend
6.2 on the Trends site takes an in-depth look at the Housing
Affordability Index for all buyers and the median home price. more...
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Walla Walla County
outspends the state on law enforcement
From criminal investigations to enforcement of safe driving to crime
prevention - no one can argue that law enforcement services are necessary
for maintaining a safe community. A fundamental function of local
government is to ensure that a safe environment is provided for all of its
citizens, and one measure of its ability to do so is its funding for law
enforcement. Trend 7.9 on the Trends website measures law
enforcement expenditures by local governments within Walla Walla County. more...
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Trends in
Action
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Interview with David
Woolson, President & CEO of the Walla Walla Valley Chamber of Commerce
David Woolson is the President
and CEO of the Walla Walla Valley Chamber of Commerce. We asked him a few
questions about the uses and benefits of trends-based data for the Chamber
and how he uses the data. more...
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News from
the Port
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Walla Walla County
shows strength in diverse economy
Despite challenging economic
times, Walla Walla County's economy is holding up better than most counties
in the state of Washington. Our unemployment rate for the month of November
2010 was 6.6% which was the fourth lowest in the state of Washington. This
compares with a state unemployment rate of 9.2% and a federal unemployment
rate of 9.8%.
So why hasn't the economic downturn nationally impacted Walla Walla County
to the extent it has impacted other counties? The answer lies in the
economic diversification of our county which provides economic stability
during challenging times. The best way to illustrate our economic diversity
is to look at the percentage of wages paid by the private sector by
industry. The top industry segments are as follows: Healthcare (18%),
Manufacturing (15%), Educational Services (12%), Public Administration
(12%), Professional & Technical (7%), Agriculture (7%), Retail Trade
(6%), and Wholesale Trade (5%).
While these sectors have experienced some economic challenges, the
diversification of the wages paid by these industries provides for a stable
economic base for Walla Walla.
As the Port continues its efforts to create and retain family wage jobs,
the Port remains mindful of retaining a diverse economy that has served us
well for many decades. Counties that are experiencing the greatest
unemployment rates are those with wages concentrated in too few economic
sectors. While these counties may experience economic growth during good
economic times, the exposure during a downturn can easily result in double
digit unemployment rates. A classic example is Clark County which, several
years ago, enjoyed significant economic growth associated with the high
tech sector. Today, Clark County has the highest unemployment rate in the
state at 13.1%.
Port of Walla Walla Commission
Mike Fredrickson
Paul Schneidmiller
Ron Dunning
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