Commercial permitting values in the City of Auburn in 2012 were just above $69 million for 2012, and for 2013, a whisker over $138 million.

Numbers like that always put a smile on the face of Auburn Economic Development Manager Doug Lein.

“That’s a pretty dramatic increase,” Lein said.

The data was contained in interim director Jeff Tate’s report last week to the Planning and Community Development Committee.

The City issued 247 business licenses in 2012, and 220 in 2013.

A decrease, yes, but with a big asterisk.

“The unique thing about that is that lot of the businesses that are forming now are coming in with multiple employees,” Lein said. “We don’t have a lot of single-person, in-home businesses starting — that is, people trying to make a living. We’re getting companies that are coming in well-capitalized. They’re hiring people. Folks are going back to work.”

The total number of permits issued in 2013 was 3,907 worth $239.6 million an uptick from 2012 when the City issued 3,568 permits worth $175.1 million.

Unemployment numbers, Lein said, are a point to three-quarters of a point below the state numbers right now.