Arizona’s jobless rate inched up to 8 percent in January, when the state shed 45,500 jobs, the state’s employment and population statistics said today.

WASHINGTON – While much of Washington is focused on the impact of Friday’s “sequestration” cuts, Mesa Mayor Scott Smith is worried that a proposed solution to that problem could end up seriously hurting cities.

A delegation from the Arizona Technology Council came to Washington this week hoping to persuade Congress to stop automatic spending cuts that would hurt state defense contractors and could lead to layoffs.

Small businesses in Arizona employ 46 percent of the private-sector workforce. They are an important economic engine to the state, and to the nation. But the uncertainty in Washington makes it difficult for them to live up to the full potential that we all know small business can be. When I was voted CEO of the Arizona Small Business Association (ASBA), I made it a priority to engage our more than 11,000 member-companies to lead and educate them on a number of factors that are vitally important to their businesses, including the ever-changing policy and fiscal environment. But now I find myself at a loss for answers to questions about the future of the nation.