DAVE REICH, CHIEF ECONOMIST, KING COUNTY
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Dave is the Chief Economist for King County. He directs the Office of Economic and Financial Analysis which is responsible for the official economic and revenue projections used in the County’s budget process. Dave has worked in the private sector as a consultant and for the State of Washington and several local governments. Dave holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Washington and a Master’s in Civil Engineering from UCLA.
At the end of 2019, the U.S. economy was in the midst of a record expansion and it appeared that 2020 would be another solid year of growth, employment and prosperity. King County, led by the City of Seattle’s dominant position as a tech center, continued to out-perform the nation and unemployment in the county reached a record low 2.1% in November 2019. However, the onset of Covid-19 changed everything, as it did for the world, leading to a terrible public health crisis and a massive pullback in economic activity. Dave’s presentation “Covid-19 and the King County Economy; Experience, Impacts and Forecast” outlines the economic impacts of the pandemic for King County and the region, considers the recovery in 2021 and beyond, and the possible long-term impacts on our economy and region.
At the end of 2019, the U.S. economy was in the midst of a record expansion and it appeared that 2020 would be another solid year of growth, employment and prosperity. King County, led by the City of Seattle’s dominant position as a tech center, continued to out-perform the nation and unemployment in the county reached a record low 2.1% in November 2019. However, the onset of Covid-19 changed everything, as it did for the world, leading to a terrible public health crisis and a massive pullback in economic activity. Dave’s presentation “Covid-19 and the King County Economy; Experience, Impacts and Forecast” outlines the economic impacts of the pandemic for King County and the region, considers the recovery in 2021 and beyond, and the possible long-term impacts on our economy and region.