Quarterly job numbers from the federal government show Wisconsin gained 24,305 private sector jobs from March 2012 to March 2013, though most rankings show the state lagging behind much of the rest of the country in job growth.
The release of the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages data sparked a series of competing releases using various measures to describe how Wisconsin is faring compared to other states.
Gov. Scott Walker’s office touted the numbers, saying the state ranks 22nd in private sector job gains during the 12-month timeframe. He noted that the data didn’t include more recent job gains.
“These numbers show we’re making significant progress, and they don’t yet include the best summer Wisconsin’s had in 23 years,” Walker said. “This is good news, but our work isn’t finished. Our number one focus has been on helping the people of this state create jobs, and that will remain our focus each day moving forward.”
The ranking touted by Walker is based on the numbers of jobs gained, not the private sector job growth rate. Using the growth rate during that period of 1.1 percent, the state ranked 34th out of all 50 states in private sector job growth, based on a WisPolitics.com review of BLS data.
Using the QCEW data to measure back to the start of Walker’s term in Jan. 2011, the state has gained a total of 72,710 private sector jobs and had a growth rate of 3.3 percent. The growth rate would place the state at 42nd during that time frame out of all 50 states.
The state Democratic Party claimed the state ranked 37th in private sector job growth during Walker’s time in office, but actually calculated the data based on job growth from March 2011-March 2013.
Economists have cautioned against comparing data from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages from different month during a year because the numbers are not seasonally adjusted and often result in drop offs at the end of the year.
Dems claimed the quarterly numbers show the state is falling behind the rest of the country and that Walker is trying to “move the goalposts” by changing his metrics for economic success.
“Wisconsin lags much of the nation in job growth because Gov. Walker and legislative Republicans have spent the past two and a half years undermining workers, public schools and people who need health care instead of focusing on jobs and improving economic prospects for middle-class families,” said Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha.
— By Jason Smathers
For WisBusiness.com
