MILWAUKEE – The economic outlook in the state of Wisconsin continues to look bleak, despite the cheerful press release issued yesterday by the State Department of Workforce Development. The report claims that the unemployment rate was down .2 percent from April 2008 and .5 percent from May 2007. The federally collected data, released today from the United States Department of Labor, shows that Wisconsin had the 4th largest over-the-year percentage decrease from May 2007 to May 2008. That amounts to 16,100 jobs lost over the past year. Meanwhile, government jobs continue to grow even though the economy is suppressed. Americans for Prosperity is hoping to show Madison that type of economic growth is not sustainable.

“I don’t know how many more quarters of abysmal economic growth it will take before our government officials come to their senses,” said AFP State Director Mark Block. “It seems like every time the Bureau of Labor Statistics comes out with new numbers, Wisconsin ranks near the bottom. In April, the over-the-year percentage job loss was the 5th worst in the nation. Wisconsin needs free-market solutions, not government run employment. Businesses are going to stay in Wisconsin if they can’t compete here. Every time a business moves, that’s tax revenue the state is losing.”

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics report stated that Wisconsin had the 4th largest over-the-year percentage decrease from May 2007 to May 2008 (.7 percent). 16,100 jobs were lost over the past year. Of the 13,200 jobs that were created over the past year, 20 percent of them were government jobs. 91 percent of new jobs were created by government, education, or health care.

• According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis report on first quarter State Personal Income, Wisconsin ranked 42nd in 1st quarter growth (.6 percent from preceding quarter); the lowest in the Midwest. Wisconsin recorded a .64 percent increase in total earnings from the previous quarter, also the lowest in the Midwest.

“Legislators are crazy if they think the solution to this problem is more government jobs,” said Block. “Every time a new government job is created, the tax liability created far exceeds the tax revenue the government will collect. We need to make Wisconsin more attractive for business. Wisconsin needs to attract new businesses, and then keep them. We can’t do that through increasing taxes.”