Unemployment Rate Dips to 6.1 Percent in Florida

On Monday, Gov. Rick Scott announced Florida's unemployment rate dropped to 6.1 percent in January, the lowest it's been since June 2008.

Florida's unemployment rate dropped 1.9 percent from January 2013 to January 2014, the largest drop of any state according to areportfrom the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The numbers are a positive for Scott, who has been using job creation as part of his pitch for re-election -- and as ammo against Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist.

With the steady increase in job creation and a 5 percentage point drop since December 2010bringing the unemployment rate down to 6.1 percent, it is clear were making a positive impact on businesses and families in Florida," said Scott.

"We are creating an opportunity economy where businesses can continue to grow, and with more than 500,000 new private-sector jobs in Florida in just over three years the progress we have made is evident," he continued. "We have come a long way in three years, but lets keep working to make sure every person who wants a job can have one.

Jesse Panuccio, the executive director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity stressed the same theme.

With a 5-point drop in the statewide unemployment rate and more than 500,000 new private-sector jobs created since December 2010, we have another successful chapter in Floridas economic turnaround story, Panuccio said on Monday. More Florida families are getting back to work across the state, and there is still more work to do to foster an opportunity economy for Floridas present and future generations.