After a series of successive monthly gains, Florida posted a net decline of 22,100 jobs in July, keeping the state's unemployment rate at 10.7 percent -- the seventh highest in the country.
But the employment picture improved in several sectors, with leisure and hospitality adding 41,800 positions (up 4.6 percent). The second biggest gainer was private education and health services, which grew by 23,400 jobs (up 2.2 percent).
And if it weren't for continued statewide layoffs by the U.S. Census Bureau, the state's employment picture would have brightened considerably.
For the year to date, Florida has registered a net increase of 64,300 jobs, according to the state Agency for Workforce Innovation.
Still, the 987,000 Floridians out of work in July meant that nearly one of every 13 jobless Americans resides in the Sunshine State. Among the 10 biggest states, only California (12 percent) and Michigan (10.9 percent) had higher jobless rates.
AWI estimated that if people who have stopped looking for work were included in the calculation, the state's unemployment rate would jump to 18.5 percent. Standard state and federal jobless rates do not reflect such "discouraged" workers.
The biggest blow to the July standings was a loss of 23,000 construction-sector jobs (down 6.5 percent). The battered sector had shown gains in four of the previous seven months.
The second-biggest loser was the government sector, which shed 16,900 jobs, a 1.5-percent decline in the category.
AWI chief economist Rebecca Rust said 14,600 of the public-sector losses stemmed from layoffs of temporary employees by the U.S. Census Bureau. State government also shed 1,500 jobs as a result of planned budget cuts, she said.
Small-government advocates saw shrinkage in the public sector as a silver-lining to the jobs report.
"What about all the 'stimulus spending' we've seen during the last two administrations?" asked U.S. Libertarian Party Chairman Wes Benedict. "Stimulus spending doesn't create jobs, it destroys them.
"The government spends money by extracting it out of the productive private sector, which causes a net loss of jobs."
Likewise, taxpayers assert that less money going into the public payroll means more free cash flow for private-sector growth.
July's decline of 16,900 government jobs in Florida represents 76 percent of the state's net employment loss.
Warning of harder times ahead, the Florida Education Association said this week that "thousands" of teachers and school support staff are ticketed for layoffs this fall.
However, neither the state nor its largest school systems could validate that projection. The state's biggest district, Miami-Dade, says it plans no teacher layoffs this year.
Andrew Nappi of the Florida 10th Amendment Center said, "The sheer number of state workers dismissed and those who are scheduled to be dismissed will influence the unemployment rate for some time. After all, there is currently nothing in the private sector to absorb the majority of these folks."
Liberal groups continued to hector Gov. Rick Scott, who has pledged to help create 700,000 private-sector jobs in Florida.
In a statement, Scott said, "Even though were averaging more than 9,000 new jobs per month, and were still well on track to reach 100,000 new jobs this year, I will never take comfort when were not adding to the total.
"Im disappointed with Julys numbers, but will keep working hard toward reaching 700,000 jobs in seven years."
Separately, Cincinnati-based Convergys Corp. announced it will boost employment at its Jacksonville center 75 percent by hiring 900 more workers there. The company previously said it would fill 500 new positions in Central Florida.
Proving there is no partisan magic bullet to building employment, Illinois, with a Democratic governor and Democratic-controlled Legislature, posted a net loss of 24,900 jobs in July -- the worst performance in the country.
Seizing the opportunity to take a shot at the Democrats in Washington, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Adam Hasner said, "Despite the work of state and local leaders to turn Florida's economy around, we're not going to start growing jobs in this state until President Obama and Sen. [Bill] Nelson lose theirs.
"Instead of the Obama-Nelson agenda of more spending, more taxing, more regulation and more debt, what we need is limited-government leaders in Washington who will focus on getting government out of the way of job creators and small-business men and women."
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Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 801-5341.
