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This month: Down
The up-and-down pattern of the state's monthly jobs report continued in March 2012. This time, the numbers took a dip, showing Wisconsin lost an estimated 4,300 private sector jobs.
Additionally, the state Department of Workforce Development revised up by 2,100 the number of jobs added in February. The new report says that there were 6,100 jobs added in that month.
We are using the monthly numbers to measure progress by Gov. Scott Walker on achieving his top campaign promise: The state adding 250,000 private sector jobs by the end of his four-year term.
The monthly jobs numbers are preliminary estimates and are compiled by survey data.
The new report puts state private-sector employment at 2,329,500, compared with 2,323,600 when Walker took office -- an increase of 5,900 jobs. That leaves the governor with 244,100 jobs left to reach 250,000.
Walker has taken a love-hate approach to the monthly jobs numbers. He has celebrated increases with news conferences and television ads. And when they"ve declined, members of his administration have criticized the figures as being sloppy.
This month, the administration put an entirely new spin on the numbers.
For the first time, they discussed an indicator called Help Wanted OnLine, compiled by the Conference Board, a national business organization. That indicator, state economists said, suggests that the job numbers will increase for the month of April.
This promise remains In the Works.
(Editor's note: An earlier version of this item used March numbers from 2011 instead of 2012. It has been corrected to reflect a net increase of 5,900 jobs instead of 12,000 jobs, and 244,100 jobs left to reach 250,000.)
Our Sources
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development March 2012 jobs report
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development November, 2011 jobs report
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "State lost 4,300 private sector jobs in March,” April 19, 2012
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "State jobs figures carried an asterisk,” Dec. 4, 2011
Scott Walker campaign ad, "Economy”