It’s hard to grow and support a state—and families—without jobs. And if you don’t have jobs, you can’t attract new residents, and, in fact, you wind up losing good workers you have to other states where there are more jobs, writes Business Report Publisher Rolfe McCollister in his latest column. Not only does it hurt the workforce, but it costs Louisiana talent and, yes, government-funding taxpayers.
In an odd quirk of math, a shrinking labor pool often also “lowers” your unemployment percentage, creating a false impression on the health of a state’s economy.
Citing a recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Gov. John Bel Edwards recently touted that Louisiana has its lowest unemployment rate in 11 years. Moreover, using nonseasonally adjusted numbers, the governor boasted employment was up 4,800 jobs from July 2018.
It sounds great, McCollister writes, until you look at the more accepted seasonally-adjusted numbers, showing Louisiana lost 1,000 jobs in that same 12-month period—the only state in the nation to lose jobs.
Yet, if the governor wants to use unadjusted numbers, then perhaps he can explain why Louisiana had more total workers in 2014 and ‘15 along with a higher unemployment percentage? In fact, over the final two years of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s second term, total jobs topped 2 million seven times, yet it’s only happened once under Edwards.
A Gallup global survey a few years ago made it clear: What the whole world wants is a good job.
That’s tough to do when Edwards is presiding over a state seen as remarkably unfriendly to business.
Outside of the private sector, Baton Rouge might have a jobs problem on its Library Board, McCollister writes. It seems new board member Chance Wilson is Councilman Matt Watson’s friend and that, apparently, is enough to get appointed to the East Baton Rouge Parish Library Board.
After joining the board only a few months ago, Wilson has accused his fellow board members of being a “rubber stamp” and “ineffective” and declaring there is “no supervision or scrutiny.” Well, what scrutiny does the Metro Council give to board appointments—including Chance Wilson? Check out the column to read about Wilson’s background and possible motives for his grandstanding.
Also, McCollister pays tribute to Louisiana’s first female governor, Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, who was laid to rest last week after a battle with cancer. McCollister says he had the privilege of knowing her and she was always genuine and kind to all. She loved life, God, her family and Louisiana. She will be missed.
Read McCollister’s full column here. Send comments to editor@businessreport.com.
