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Jobs created or jobs lost: who's right?
Issue sparks fireworks in Monday's debate
Updated: Tuesday, 22 Jun 2010, 7:01 PM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 22 Jun 2010, 6:39 PM EDT
GRAND RAPIDS, MIch. (WOOD) - It was the first back-and-forth during Monday night's WOOD TV8 debate between the two Democrats hoping to lead Michigan.
House Speaker Andy Dillon (D-Redford Twp.) took issue with Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero's claims of job creation in Lansing.
The mayor's campaign website touts 6,000 jobs created and retained since he came into office. And Bernero touted his job creation record during the debate.
But Dillon said the city of Lansing actually lost jobs during Bernero's tenure.
"I'm not going to criticize him for that; the state has gone through tough times," the speaker said. "But when he says he's created 6,000 jobs and the jobs have shrunk, we have to question what's been done in Lansing."
In some ways, both men are right.
The Lansing Economic Development Corporation reports about 5,300 jobs were created through projects during the Bernero years.
When retained jobs are added -- the jobs leaders say they prevented from leaving the city -- the figure tops 6,000.
But at the same time, the Michigan Labor Market Information office told 24 Hour News 8 total employment in the city of Lansing dropped from 60,958 in 2006, when Bernero took office, to 56,859 in 2009.
So what explains the difference?
City leaders did push job creation projects during those years, but it wasn't enough to stem the overall tide of job loss.
The state of Michigan has similarly touted job creation -- specifically, the projects that have received state incentives -- in the midst of overall job loss in recent years.
WOOD TV8 will host and broadcast a debate Thursday with Republican candidates for governor. All have said they will attend with the exception of Ann Arbor businessman Rick Snyder. You can submit your questions by email to newsroom@woodtv.com or on the WOOD TV8 Facebook page.
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