Western states hit hardest by the housing crisis are feeling the greatest economic stress two years after the recession ended, according to The Associated Press’s monthly analysis.

After six years at the helm of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, Executive Director Barry Broome is leaving for a new job in San Diego.

The Arizona Competitiveness Package goes into effect June 30, and while the business tax cuts that formed its foundation won’t start phasing in until 2014, several provisions will take root immediately.

Recreation on federal lands last year supported more than 8,000 jobs in Arizona’s rural communities, the fourth-highest in the nation, according to an Interior Department report released Wednesday.

For the second consecutive month, Arizona’s unemployment rate has dropped, according to figures released today by the Office of Employment and Population Statistics

After two hours of discussion among Gov. Jan Brewer and members of the Arizona Commerce Authority on how to boost economic development in Arizona, Rep. Tom Forese delivered a surprisingly candid admonition of the governor.

Anyone who’s wondering how serious the Arizona Commerce Authority is about its proactive approach to recruiting new businesses need only look at President/CEO Don Cardon’s recent travel plans.

Just two days before the new public-private economic development agency held its final board meeting before the July 1 transition away from the Arizona Department of Commerce, Cardon returned from a 10-day trip to Europe.

Gov. Jan Brewer wants legislators to act in special session to prevent a cutoff of 20 weeks of extended unemployment benefits that are now at risk because Arizona’s unemployment rate has dropped.

Arizona’s unemployment rate dipped to 9.3 percent in April, and the state says the decrease will likely trigger an expected automatic shortening of how long the state provides jobless benefits.

Legislative budget analysts see good news in a preliminary figures from Arizona’s April tax collections.