By Ronald J. Hansen, The Republic | azcentral.com
This has been the best year for job growth in the Tucson area in years, although few are celebrating in southern Arizona.
Expansion that usually dwarfed the nation’s annual pace lags far behind the U.S. rate. An area top-heavy with high-paying aviation and defense work has seen those jobs whittled away. Today, positions in health-care fields and the restaurant industry define Tucson’s new growth.
The city arguably is a living symbol of the impact of recent federal budget cuts.
Over the past year, the Tucson economy, much like the nation as a whole, has seen gains in lower-wage occupations and stagnation in higher-paying ones. Meanwhile, the public sector continues to shrink.
