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<br />0:1500 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Mine, located about 30 miles west of Trinidad, is the County's <br /> <br />largest industry, employing about 450 men. The County's secondary <br /> <br />employment consists of retail and wholesale trade and personal <br /> <br />services. Employment in agriculture and mining has substantially <br /> <br />decreased during the past 20 years. The median annual income for the <br /> <br />city of Trinidad is $5,991 (1970 census) as compared to $6,055 for <br />Las Animas County and $9,555 for the State of Colorado. Approximately <br />22.4 percent of families in Trinidad have incomes less than poverty <br /> <br />level. <br /> <br />The labor force participation rate has steadily declined since <br /> <br />1960. This is the result of a deteriorstion in the following con- <br />ditions: the high proportion of persons in the county who are over <br /> <br />65, dependence on coal mining and agriculture, no development of new <br /> <br />industries, and high dependence on public assistance. <br /> <br />The skill levels of the Las Animas County labor force are low, <br /> <br />many laborers being unskilled or semi-skilled. There have been <br /> <br />practically no new jobs requiring skilled labor created during the <br />last decade, and those that become skilled soon leave the County. <br /> <br />The bulk of those leaving are young people who are unable to find <br /> <br />employment in the area. As a result, 40 percent of the population <br /> <br />is 45 years old or older. There is evidence of much underemployment <br /> <br />in the area. During the 1960 to 70 period the County's population <br />decreased by 21.2 percent and the city of Trinidad's by 7.4 percent. <br />New, varied primary industries must be attracted to Las Animas <br /> <br />County in order to take the place of the coal mining industry as the <br /> <br />major source of income, so that the county can begin to solve some <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />11-27 <br />