New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. today issued the following statement after it was announced that the city unemployment rate for November was 6.3%:

“Today’s announcement is troubling but not unexpected. During the past year, New York City has weathered this economic storm better than the rest of the nation. However, these numbers clearly indicate that the country’s troubles have caught up with us.

This economic downturn has affected a wide range of job sectors and impacted thousands of families within the five boroughs. While New Yorkers will continue to feel the brunt of this downturn in the coming months, we project the thawing of the credit markets, coupled with the steps taken at the federal level, will allow New York City to slowly emerge from this recession by late 2009.”

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