The employment picture in Pittsburgh remained solidly positive, even as seasonal job losses brought total employment down 8,500 jobs from July to August. The unemployment rate fell from 5.2% to 5.1%, according to the report of the PA Dept. of Labor & Industry on Sept. 29. Key for Pittsburgh's construction market was the fact that year-over-year job creation was up 26,000 jobs. That's the basis for many more household formations than there will be new housing units, even in the midst of an apartment "boom."

State Republican leaders announced today that they would put Gov. Wolf's budget proposal to a vote on Oct. 7. The move is ostensibly to allow the governor to test the viability of his tax increase, although the Republican majority in both houses makes passage highly unlikely. Breaking the impasse over the budget is necessary for school districts and public service agencies to operate and is keeping a lid on what few public construction projects were advancing.

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