Columbus Chamber of Commerce predicts economy will improve in 2010

Columbus, Oh – AS THE YEAR COMES TO A CLOSE, THE COLUMBUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SAYS CENTRAL OHIO'S ECONOMY SHOULD IMPROVE IN 2010. BILL LAFAYETTE IS THE CHAMBER'S VICE PRESIDENT OF ECONOMIC ANALYSIS AND ONE OF FOUR CONTIBUTORS TO THE CHAMBER'S ANNUAL BLUE CHIP ECONOMIC FORECAST. LAFAYETTE SAYS WHILE NEXT YEAR'S EMPLOYMENT CHANGE WILL BE SLIGHTLY POSITIVE, IT MASKS AN EMPLOYMENT TURN THAT SHOULD MAKE THE SECOND HALF OF 20-10 THE BEST ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT IN THREE YEARS. OTHER POSITIVE SECTORS NEXT YEAR INCLUDE RETAIL, WHICH LAFAYETTE SAYS CONTINUES CLIMBING BACK WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE. THE 20-10 FORECAST CALLS FOR A 1-POINT-5 PERCENT DECLINE, BUT LAFAYETTE NOTES THAT'S BETTER THAN THE NEARLY 3 PERCENT DECLINE SEEN THIS YEAR. LAFAYETTE SAYS THE TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITIES SECTOR SHOULD GROW NEXT YEAR BY 1-POINT-3 PERCENT. HE SAYS THE CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURING SECTORS WILL CONTINUE TO BE WEAK. LAFAYETTE TALKS ABOUT THE ANAYLSIS WITH MIKE FOLEY.