Rob:  Well economically, 2009 is a year we’ll all remember, but for some of us, not very fondly.  Last year was a bumpy ride, and one that may still have some harrowing twists and turns.  So short of a crystal ball, what we hope to do over the next half hour is to look forward into 2010 by examining where we’ve been and where we could be going; and we begin with a look back at the year that was.
Rob:  Well 2009 was a year that began on the sourest of notes.  The stock market was imploding, large banks were teetering on collapse, and our nation’s economy was on the verge of slipping into a depression.  Yet, here in Oklahoma we remained cautiously optimistic; with Oklahoma City even being named the most recession proof city in the nation.
We have one of the most stable economies in the country.  We were rated the most recession proof city in the country by Forbes magazine, and that’s a big selling point.
Rob:  But as winter gave way to spring, we began to see the first cracks in our economic armor.
We’re beginning to see unemployment increase.  We’re beginning to see certain industries show weakness, so the earliest stages are here.
Rob:  At the state capitol, lawmakers were able to plug budget gaps with stimulus dollars from the federal government.  But, it wasn’t enough.  State unemployment began to rise to a two decade high, energy prices slumped, and as natural gas prices tumbled, so did state revenues; forcing lawmakers to slash state services and state agencies to cut jobs.  And while state government’s future remains bleak, there are some bright spots as we start the New Year, Oklahoma’s jobless rate did dip in November, while personal income rose ever so slightly.  All the while, natural gas prices began to surge as a wintery mix of weather keeps heaters cranked on around the country.