Sandoval ranked by job creation

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval has been ranked so-so by a business magazine for his job creation record.

Business Journals said the state had 970,600 jobs when Sandoval took office on Jan. 3, 2011 and now has 1,007,600. The publication thus places Sandoval at number 25 out of 45 governors. Five new governors who took office this year were not ranked.

The magazine reports that the other 49 states have created private sector jobs at a 1.98 percent rate since Sandoval took office, but Nevada has done so at a 1.62 percent rate. For public sector jobs, the magazine used raw numbers instead of percentages and they show Nevada lagging behind other states in creating public employee positions by minus-8,400. However, the magazine said the “overall rankings for this study are based on the difference in private-sector employment growth rates.”

Nevada economist Glen Atkinson said governors have limited short-term ability to do much about job creation. They have more of a role in creating a climate that encourages jobs over the long term, he said. Atkinson added, “We need more long-term strategies to create the environment for economic development. The legislature's hands are tied when it comes to tax policy. They can't do anthing except cut taxes.”