AM850.com

A national recession has caused a slump in Florida's population, which declined for the first time since 1946, when military personnel left the state after the end of World War II, according to the University of Florida's latest preliminary population estimates. UF's Bureau of Economic and Business Research Director, Stan Smith says Florida's change from an employment-producing to a job-loss state has cost the state a loss of more than fifty eight thousand residents. Smith adds, traditionally, Florida's growth has been spurred by both a booming economy and a booming housing market, and both have seen substantial losses over the last couple of years.