“The state economy is caught up in the downward spiral that has devastated the national economy.”

“We expect job losses to stabilize by midyear… robust job growth is not expected until 2010, when the effects of the federal stimulus begin to kick in.”

“In the first quarter of 2008, the rate of (personal income growth) was over 5 percent from the year before. In the fourth quarter … we expect a drop of one percent.”

Raha said they expect Washington to bounce back quicker than the rest of the nation.

“The state economy is caught up in the downward spiral that has devastated the national economy.”