Report: More positive jobs numbers in Wisconsin - WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |

MADISON (WXOW) -- According to a new report released by the Department of Workforce Development, Wisconsin added more than 23,300 jobs last year.

DWD Secretary Reggie Newson says, "For the first time, we see Wisconsin's 2011 jobs picture based on what 96 percent of Wisconsin employers reported, not what statistics out of Washington, D.C. estimated based on a survey of 3.5 percent of Wisconsin business."

The new figures released Wednesday morning come less than three weeks before voters will decide whether Gov. Scott Walker should stay in office or be replaced with Democratic Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.

Walker's administration says the numbers show the gain of more than 23,000 jobs between December 2010, the month before Walker took office, and December 2011.

The more commonly used standard for measuring his progress on job creation based on a survey by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows a loss of 33,900 jobs over that period.