To the Editor:

No doubt 2013 was a much better year for Western North Carolina than was the previous year. 

The unemployment rate has dropped down to 7.4 percent in November from 8.9 percent when the year started.  Every county in North Carolina had lower unemployment rates. Financially the state is slowly recovering from where it was. 

Every major group in the state — from colleges to the DOT to the public and private schools — all need more money to operate. Jobs are the key to adding revenue to the state, and Gov. Pat McCrory is doing his best to make that happen. Nationally, North Carolina’s unemployment rate has dropped us down to number 35 from Number 49 just 11 months ago. 

With New Year approaching, I would like to suggest a New Year’s resolution to everyone for the coming year. Buying products that are made in the USA or at least in North America would be a big help. Working people in the USA are the people who spend their money here.  Buying stuff made in China or other Asian countries does not do a lot for our economy or North Carolina. 

I saw where the chicken from China is coming to the USA. I think we all can get along fine without buying chicken from China for a lot of reasons. Supporting local businesses is a great way to help improve the economy in our state. People who work here spend their money here.

Too many of our people have been out of work for more than a year. Supporting our local businesses will do more to help the poor and unemployed people than anything else. Income inequality will never be solved with welfare checks and foods stamp cards. I hope we can agree that jobs are the best way to overcome income inequality. 

Let us make 2014 the year we get our unemployment rate down to 6 percent or below. 

Jim Mueller

Glenville