October report slides the year into negative territory

The state's October 2012 jobs report showed a loss of 6,000 private sector jobs, pushing the total for the year back into negative territory. With the latest figures, our calculations show that Gov. Scott Walker has created about one-tenth of the jobs he promised that would be created by the end of his four-year term.

The October report, released Nov. 15, 2012 by the state Department of Workforce Development, also revised slightly downward the number of jobs created in September.

With the latest report and revision, the state has 2,400 fewer jobs than at the beginning of 2012.

The jobs count is based upon the monthly Current Employment Survey in which information from about 3 percent of state employers is extrapolated to apply to all state workplaces. It's subject to revisions and is less accurate than the quarterly census of employers, which involves a survey of more than 90 percent of state businesses.

We are using a combination of the monthly survey reports for 2012 and the more-precise census data issued for 2011 to gauge Gov. Scott Walker's promise to create 250,000 jobs by the end of his four year term. That approach gives voters the most up to date picture possible -- and one that will get more accurate over time as future years pass.

The census data showed that there were 27,811 jobs created in Wisconsin in 2011. Subtract from that the loss of 2,400 jobs this year, and the net is 25,411.

That leaves Walker with 224,589 jobs to add to meet his promise. This promise remains In the Works.