Wisconsin Prosperity Report 

State Loses 13,000 Jobs Between March and April, 2008; 4th Worst in the Country 

MILWAUKEE – Madison lawmakers are continuing to advocate policies that are harmful to the prosperity of Wisconsinites.  That’s the message that the Wisconsin chapter of Americans for Prosperity Foundation (AFPF) is releasing, along with an analysis of the federally collected data on regional and state employment and unemployment.  Wisconsin experienced the fourth largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment between the months of March and April.   “Lawmakers cannot continue with the same tax and spend policies that have failed Wisconsin families,” said AFPF Wisconsin Director Mark Block.  “Wisconsinites are tired of policymakers that continue to advocate policies that we know don’t work; the best way for Wisconsin to prosper is for government to leave it alone.” 

• Even though Wisconsin was one of the few states that reported a statistically significant drop in unemployment in April, Wisconsin still lost 13,600 jobs last month due to disgruntled workers leaving the job market or retiring early. 

• The loss of jobs that Wisconsin experienced in April is much worse than the national average, hurting not only Wisconsin families but also local and state government, as it reduces tax collections and creates a state budget deficit.

• Wisconsin’s unemployment was better than the national average beginning in 1987, when Governor Tommy Thompson was elected to his first term.  Now nearly twenty years later, Wisconsin is again near the bottom of the list.

“If lawmakers in Madison don’t see soon that their current policies hurt small businesses and Wisconsin families, we will create an environment within this state that drives business away,” said Block.  “This will lead to less tax collections from state government, and ultimately budget deficits.  In order to collect the same amount of tax revenue, lawmakers will have to increase the same taxes that drove businesses out in the first place.  It’s a vicious cycle that needs to be ended now, before it’s too late.”