The number of government employees in Wisconsin compared to population has been dropping over time and is now at its lowest point since at least 1993, the earliest point for which U.S. Census Bureau makes figures available.
Wisconsin had 47.8 state and local government full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) per 1,000 state residents in 2013. That’s down 10.3% from a high of 53.3 employees in 2001. If Wisconsin government employment levels had stayed at the 2001 peak levels, Wisconsin would have nearly 32,000 additional government employees over the current levels.
Some not…
The steady decline in the number of government jobs in Wisconsin may be coming to an end. A different data source, the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Employment Statistics, shows a modest increase in the number of government jobs in Wisconsin in 2014. In Wisconsin, about 1 out of every 7 jobs are in state or local government.
We note that under Walker’s last budget, State full-time employees increased.
Locals decreased, but as you note, that was temporary.