NEW DATA SHOWS WISCONSIN GAINED JOBS IN 2011
Rhetoric:
Wisconsin Ranked Dead Last In Job Creation In 2011 And Lost 33,900 Jobs
Reality:
Wisconsin Added 23,321 Jobs In 2011
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Actual Data Derived Directly From Wisconsin Employers Shows A Net Change From The Original Estimates To This Reliable Census Of Over 57,000 Jobs. The actual data derived directly from Wisconsin employers show that Wisconsin added 23,321 jobs in 2011, not the 33,900 loss that was previously believed. (Craig Gilbert, “Walker speeds release of positive jobs data,” Journal Sentinel, 5/15/12)
Where Does This Data Come From?
This Data Represents Actual Jobs From Employers That Are Required By Law To Submit Accurate Information. The data is obtained from over 96 percent of Wisconsin employers, approximately 160,000 employers, compiled quarterly and submitted to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data is obtained from employers through their quarterly tax and unemployment insurance reports submitted to the Dept. of Workforce Development which describes this data as one of the best sources of detailed employment and wage statistics. (DWD, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages Website, http://worknet.wisconsin.gov/, accessed 5/15/12)
What About The Other Jobs Numbers?
Unlike The Quarterly Data, The Other Surveys Used To Determine Unemployment, Job Gains And Losses Use A Sampling Of Households And Businesses. The household and business establishment surveys utilize a small sample of Wisconsin households and employers. The household survey, samples just 1,450 Wisconsin households, about 3.5 percent of working age Wisconsinites. The business establishment polling is based on approximately 5,500 businesses as opposed to the quarterly data that is an actual count of approximately 160,000 employers. (DWD, “Actual Jobs Data Reported by Wisconsin Employers Show State Added Over 23,300 Jobs in 2011,” Press Release, 5/16/12; Worknet Website, http://worknet.wisconsin.gov/, accessed 5/15/12)
ARE THERE OTHER INDICATORS THAT SUPPORT THE POSITIVE ADJUSTMENT IN THE JOB NUMBERS?
The Quarterly Jobs Numbers Released Confirm Other Indicators That Show Wisconsin Is Heading In The Right Direction.
Initial Unemployment Claims Lowest In Past 5 Years.
The number of initial unemployment claims in Wisconsin is dropping. If Wisconsin was losing tens of thousands of jobs as the business establishment survey suggested, the initial unemployment claims would be up dramatically, exactly the opposite of what they are doing. (Dept. Of Revenue, “Changing the spot of the ball,” PowerPoint, March 2012)
The Continued Unemployment Insurance Claims Are Below 2011, 2010 and 2009 Levels.
The number of people that continue on unemployment has dropped to 10.86 percent below 2011 levels, consistent with the falling unemployment rate and the quarterly jobs data. (Dept. Of Revenue, “Changing the spot of the ball,” PowerPoint, March 2012)
Wisconsin Per Capita Income Growth In 2011 Was In Top 25 Percent Of Entire Nation.
Confirming the results of the quarterly jobs data, Wisconsin’s per capita income is growing, now 11th in the nation. If Wisconsin citizens were losing their jobs, the per capita income growth would be declining. (US Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, “State Personal Income 2011,” Press Release, 3/28/11
In Fiscal Year 2012, Tax Collection Are Exceeding Estimates In All Three Major Categories- Income Taxes, Corporate Taxes And Sales Taxes.
This is the actual dollars coming into the state. These results are consistent with the quarterly jobs data and the household survey. (Dept. Of Revenue, “Changing the spot of the ball,” PowerPoint, March 2012)
Wisconsin Unemployment Rate Is 6.8 Percent In March of 2012, The Lowest Since 2008.
This significant drop in the rate is consistent with the other indicators that show Wisconsin is moving in the right direction. (BLS, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, accessed 5/15/12.
Wisconsin Was One Of Only 18 States That Had A Significant Drop In The Unemployment Rate From March 2011 to March 2012.
At 6.8 Percent, Wisconsin also has the lowest unemployment rate in the entire Great Lakes Region. (BLS, “Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Summary,” Press Release, 4/20/12; BLS, LAUS, accessed 5/15/12)
Ciara Matthews
Communications Director
Friends of Scott Walker
Ciara@scottwalker.org
(608) 441-1641
