According to the U.S. Department of Labor the unemployment rate in California dropped from 11.2% to 11% between March and April. Despite the slight drop in unemployment California still lost 63,700 jobs in the month of April and the only job sector that seems to be growing is government. Does this plateau mark the end of the ever–rising unemployment numbers and indicate that the recession is losing speed? Or should we take the numbers with a grain of salt?

• Brad Kemp: Director of regional research for Beacon Economics. He used to work at the state's Employment Development Department


• Stephen Levy: Director of the Center for Continuing Study of the California Economy