Is the Strickland Administration Fabricating Job Creation Numbers?

(Columbus) - Strickland administration officials used "fuzzy math" to determine how many jobs were created or saved by federal stimulus funds, according to a news report today.

The Columbus Dispatch found that many of the "saved" jobs claimed by the Columbus City School District "definitely wouldn't have been lost in the first place, and others might not have been lost at all."

The Strickland administration claims 7,200 education jobs were "saved or created" by the stimulus funds, but a Columbus school district official says, at least in their case, "it's difficult to attribute those jobs' survival to the stimulus spending." The Dispatch reports:

So was the district on the verge of laying off 36 school administrators?

"No," Dannemiller said, explaining that the reporting choices were "created" and "saved."

"They weren't 'created,' obviously, so our only other choice was 'saved.'"

"Unfortunately, this claim fits with other reports we've seen nationwide that suggest the Obama administration is deceptively trying to prop up its failed stimulus plan," said Ohio Republican Party Chairman Kevin DeWine. "It appears the Strickland administration is conspiring with them to fabricate job numbers in Ohio, and these claims need to be investigated. Ohioans shouldn't have to question Gov. Strickland's honesty when it comes to something as important as job creation."

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For the Record

A recent Associated Press investigation found the Obama administration's job creation claims "overstated" by thousands:

"Even in its limited review, the AP found job counts that were more than 10 times as high as the actual number of paid positions; jobs credited to the stimulus program that were counted two and sometimes more than four times; and other jobs that were credited to stimulus spending when none was produced." (Associated Press, 10/29/09)

The White House admits it can't even tell the difference between jobs "saved" and jobs "created": 

"So how many were saved and how many created? They don't know. In a briefing with reporters, officials acknowledged they can't tell the difference between jobs 'saved,' and jobs 'created' by the $787 billion stimulus package." (Politico, 11/01/09)