Jones: Patrick’s Rose Colored Glasses Ignores Real Pain

BOSTON—House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. issued the following statement in response to September’s job report released today by the Patrick-Murray Administration.

Once again, Governor Patrick is painting an unrealistic, rosy scenario while missing the headline in today’s job report. While Governor Patrick and his Administration are touting a declined unemployment rate, the corner office is choosing to refrain from discussing the big picture – which is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts lost nearly 21,000 jobs in September.

In fact, the numbers show his heralded gain of 2,100 jobs in August was actually a loss of 3,000 jobs.

Meanwhile, according to the press release distributed by the Executive Office of Workforce Development, state government actually grew in September by 400 jobs. If that isn’t a shining example of misplaced priorities by Governor Patrick, I don’t know what is.

Governor Patrick’s unwillingness to acknowledge the enormity of the economic crisis we are in is not only alarming, it is a sign that he is unfit to lead the state out of the dark days we are in now and into a brighter tomorrow.

The Governor likes to say he sees the people behind the numbers – except apparently when it comes to unemployment.