Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) released the following statement today concerning the state’s job growth rate, following the release of revised job figures for 2011 by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics and a report by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce that shows the state posted 0.4 % job growth from January of 2011-January of 2012, well below the national rate of 1.5 % during that same time period:“The revised job figures released by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics are both a reality check and a call to arms that we can’t be complacent about the need to improve the business climate in Massachusetts. According to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, and contrary to repeated statements from the Patrick Administration, Massachusetts has been trailing, rather than leading, the nation in job growth. Instead of creating 40,700 jobs in 2011, Massachusetts added just 12,200 jobs. Clearly, the numbers that have been touted by the Patrick Administration are wildly inaccurate, and this report is further proof that we need to get our feet back on the ground and start marching forward to improve the state’s business climate and create new jobs.
We need to act swiftly and decisively to remove the obstacles to creating and maintaining jobs in Massachusetts, and the information coming forward in the last 24 hours provides clear evidence of that need. The forthcoming jobs creation package from Senate and House Republicans should be a priority for the Legislature to consider and enact.”
The Chamber’s report can be viewed at bostonchamber.com
