The figures refer to total non-farm employment between December 31,1999 and December 31, 2000. Pennsylvania gained 16,700 new jobs during that period.

     All of Pennsylvania's bordering states had a better job creation record. Maryland ranked 11^th with a 2.33 percent growth rate, followed by New York, 19^th; Delaware, 24^th; New Jersey, 29^th; West Virginia, 37^th; and Ohio, 42^nd.

     Pennsylvania is creating jobs at less than half the rate of West Virginia, which grew at 0.8 percent.

     "Clearly the business tax cuts enacted by the Ridge Administration over the past six years have not translated into more jobs for the working men and women of Pennsylvania," said state Senator Vincent Fumo, chairman of the Senate Democratic Appropriations Committee. "We gave business a lot of tax breaks and never demanded job creation in return."

     Pennsylvania has consistently ranked near the bottom of the pack nationally in job growth. The commonwealth was 47^th in 1999, 42^nd in 1998, 43^rd in 1997, 35^th in 1996, and 43^rd in 1995.

     Fumo believes that Pennsylvania needs to devote more attention to developing the high-tech sector of the economy, both by investing more in education and by developing an entrepreneurial program that attracts young people to the state.

     "Even the business community is starting to question the educational system in Pennsylvania, saying they can't find enough qualified workers," Fumo said.

     "We need a creative and innovative spirit when it comes to the information age, with a program that deals with keeping our young people here after they graduate," he added. "We have an aging population, and it's not because senior citizens are moving in, it's because our young people are moving out."

     Forty-seven states gained jobs in 2000; only North Dakota, Mississippi and Nebraska had a net decrease in employment.

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