Brooklyn’s 9.6% unemployment should be lowered with tech: Marty Markowitz

New unemployment numbers for Brooklyn are an opportunity for outgoing borough president Marty Markowitz to double down on his belief that the future of the Kings County workforce will have to do with a new economy.

The unemployment rate in Brooklyn is 9.6 percent, according to report from the New York State Department of Labor, higher than the city, New York state and the national average.

“As good as Brooklyn is doing, creating jobs for many in our creative economy, this data shows how far we have to go to meet the employment needs of all our residents, from Cypress Hills to Coney Island,” said Markowitz in a statement, pointing to a focus on central and eastern Brooklyn as an opportunity for growth.

Find the above chart of June unemployment numbers here.

“We must explore every avenue to economically incentivize major firms and corporations to move their operations to areas like Brownsville and East New York,” he said, naming high-tech manufacturing, assembly and warehousing as real goals for bringing new jobs.

“It is time for companies like Apple, LG and Samsung to set their sights on Brooklyn and its incredible workforce,” he said.