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Raimondo Picks & Chooses Jobs Numbers - Claims Improvement As RI Loses 500 Jobs

Friday, April 20, 2018

GoLocalProv News Team

Governor Gina Raimondo

At 10 a.m on Thursday morning, the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training released the March jobs numbers. Rhode Island saw little movement — the state lost 500 jobs and saw a slight improvement of one a tenth of a point in the unemployment rate.

For the eight years GoLocal has been publishing, under three different Governors -- Don Carcieri, Lincoln Chafee, and Gina Raimondo -- the same measure has been reported each month by DLT.

However, less than five hours after the DLT reported the state lost 500 jobs, Raimondo was claiming 700 new jobs and record employment.

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Picking and Choosing

In a release, Raimondo said, "This report is a signal that Rhode Island continues to move in the right direction. Four years ago, our state was struggling to bounce back from the recession and we needed to revamp our approach to economic development. Since that time, we've gone from the worst unemployment rate in the country to in-line with the national average. We brought dozens of new and expanded businesses into our state, created thousands of good-paying jobs, and put people throughout Rhode Island back to work.”

Monthly job numbers in flux

The press release claimed, "The number of employed Rhode Islanders is up 700 from February and up 4,200 over the last 12 months. In that same period, the state added 6,400 new jobs.”

When asked about the new numbers, Raimondo’s office admitted that they used a different data source rather than what has been the standard reported data by DLT -- or what they usually made comments on.

While DLT was using the standard “job count number” which showed the 500 jobs lost, instead the Raimondo press office linked her statement to the data for “data on the number of working Rhode Islanders” and claiming 700 new jobs.

Toggling Back and Forth

A GoLocal review found that while DLT was consistent each month in reporting the number of jobs, Raimondo’s press office toggled back and forth to find the best number.

The data reporting or manipulation sparks memories of Mark Twain's infamous quote, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics."

The past year has been only a minor win for the Raimondo. While manufacturing and construction have been growth areas for Rhode Island’s economy, the number of new jobs is just 6,400 — an improvement of just 1.28 percent growth. Manufacturing lost a total of 1,100 jobs and construction lost 500 in the past month according to DLT. Government and transportation sectors added jobs.

Construction and Unemployment numbers fell in March

And, while Rhode Island’s unemployment rate has dropped to 4.5 percent, Rhode Island trails the national average of 4.1 percent.

When asked if the Governor was satisfied that the total number of new jobs grew by just 1.28 percent over the past 12 months, Josh Block, Press Secretary for Raimondo told GoLocal, “Rhode Island has seen unprecedented job growth since Governor Raimondo took office, particularly in manufacturing and construction. In 2012, nearly one in four construction workers were looking for work. This year we saw more jobs in construction than at any point in the last decade. And with dozens of businesses moving or expanding here and over one hundred roads, bridges, and other critical infrastructure being repaired in the next year, we're confident we'll continue to see this growth going forward."

Related Slideshow: GoLocal: Benchmark Poll, October 2017

Sponsor: GoLocalProv

Sample: N=403

Rhode Island General Election Voters Margin of Error: +/- 4.9% at 95% Confidence Level

Interviewing Period: October 9-11, 2017

Mode: Landline (61%) and Mobile (39%)

Telephone Directed by: John Della Volpe, SocialSphere, Inc.

Are you registered to vote at this address?

Yes: 100%

When it comes to voting, do you consider yourself to be affiliated with the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, Moderate, or Unaffiliated with a major party?

Unaffiliated: 49%

Democrat: 32%

Republican: 15%

Moderate: .4%

Next year, in November of 2018, there will be a statewide general election for Governor and many other state offices. How likely is it that you will vote in this election?

Will you definitely be voting, will you probably be voting, are you 50-50...

Definitely be voting: 78%

Probably be voting: 13%

50-50: 9%

In general, would you say things in Rhode Island are headed in the right direction or are they off on the wrong track?

Right track: 39%

Wrong track: 45%

Mixed: 10%

Don't know/Refused: .6%

What would you say is the number one problem facing Rhode Island that you would like the Governor to address?

Jobs and economy: 21%

Education: 12%

Taxes: 12%

Roads: 12%

State budget: 9%

Corruption/Public integrity: .8%

Healthcare: 3%

Governor: 3%

Homelessness: 2%

Immigration: 2%

Other: 7%

Don’t know: .9%

Over the past three years or so, would you say the economy in Rhode Island has improved, gotten worse, or not changed at all?

Changed for the better: 35%

Changed for the worse: 16%

Not changed at all: 43%

Don't know/Refused: 5%

Over the same time, has your family's financial situation improved, gotten worse, or not changed at all?

Changed for the better: 26%

Changed for the worse: 19%

Not changed at all: 54%

Don't know/Refused: 1%

Recently, a proposal has been made to permit the issuance of $81 million in bonds by the State to build a new stadium for the Pawtucket Red Sox. If there was an election today on this issue, would you vote to approve or reject issuing $81 million in financing supported moral obligation bonds to build the stadium?

Net: Approve: 28%

Definitely approve: 15%

Probably approve: 14%

Net: Reject: 67%

Probably reject: 19%

Definitely reject: 48%

Don't know: 4%

Could you please tell me your age?

18-24: 7%

25-34: 15%

35-44: 15%

45-54: 20%

55-64: 17%

65+: 25%

Don't know/refused: 1%

What was the last grade you completed in school?

0-11: 2%

High school grad: 16%

Technical/Vocational school: 1%

Some college: 23%

College grad: 34%

Graduate degree: 24%

Don't know/refused: 1%

The next question is about the total income of YOUR HOUSEHOLD for the PAST 12 MONTHS. Please include your income PLUS the income of all members living in your household (including cohabiting partners and armed forces members living at home).

$50,000 or less: 27%

More $50,000 but less than $75,000: 13%

More $75,000 but less than $100,000: 13%

More $100,000 but less than $150,000: 17%

$150,000 or more: 13%

Don't know/refused: 17%

What particular ethnic group or nationality - such as English, French, Italian, Irish, Latino, Jewish, African American, and so forth - do you consider yourself a part of or feel closest to?

American/None: 21%

English: 13%

Italian: 13%

Irish: 12%

Black or African American: 6%

Latino/Hispanic: 6%

French: 6%

Portuguese: 3%

Jewish: 3%

German: 1%

Would you say that Donald Trump has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as President?

Excellent: 13%
Good: 12%
Fair: 14%
Poor: 57%
Never heard of: 0%
Cannot rate: 3%

Would you say that Jack Reed has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as a United States Senator?

Excellent: 22%
Good: 29%
Fair: 23%
Poor: 15%
Never heard of: 6%
Cannot rate: 6%

Would you say that Sheldon Whitehouse has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as a United States Senator?

Excellent: 17%
Good: 22%
Fair: 21%
Poor: 28%
Never heard of: 6%
Cannot rate: 7%

Would you say that David Cicilline has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as a Member of Congress?

Excellent: 9%
Good: 29%
Fair: 21%
Poor: 27%
Never heard of: 6%
Cannot rate: 8%

Would you say that James Langevin has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as a Member of Congress?

Excellent: 7%
Good: 30%
Fair: 20%
Poor: 18%
Never heard of: 13%
Cannot rate: 11%

Would you say that Gina Raimondo has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Governor?

Excellent: 6%
Good: 28%
Fair: 30%
Poor: 31%
Never heard of: 1%
Cannot rate: 3%

Would you say that Daniel McKee has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Lieutenant Governor?

Excellent: 3%
Good: 16%
Fair: 21%
Poor: 8%
Never heard of: 26%
Cannot rate: 25%

Would you say that Peter Kilmartin has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Attorney General?

Excellent: 3%
Good: 20%
Fair: 28%
Poor: 17%
Never heard of: 13%
Cannot rate: 19%

Would you say that Seth Magaziner has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as General Treasurer?

Excellent: 4%
Good: 18%
Fair: 24%
Poor: 13%
Never heard of: 21%
Cannot rate: 21%

Would you say that Nellie Gorbea has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Secretary of State?

Excellent: 5%
Good: 21%
Fair: 21%
Poor: 10%
Never heard of: 20%
Cannot rate: 23%

Would you say that Jorge Elorza has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Mayor of Providence?

Excellent: 4%
Good: 24%
Fair: 24%
Poor: 22%
Never heard of: 9%
Cannot rate: 15%

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