Missouri’s unemployment rate in May climbed .9% to reach 9%.  That may sounds like terrible news, but in the current recession, it’s within the realm of expectations.

There is a labor number which is worse – much worse – and should concern every policy-maker in the state.

The number of people employed in the state of Missouri in April 2009 was 2,726,700.

The number of people employed in April 1994 was 2,645,700.

That means that over the last fifteen years Missouri has seen a mere 3% increase in jobs.  That’s not a 3% annual increase.  That’s 3% over fifteen years, or something like a .2% annual increase.  But really it’s zip/zero in terms of what people feel.  (In fact, Missouri has been a slight net loser of jobs if you narrow the time-frame to the last ten years.)

More than the snapshot unemployment picture, our chief concern should be that over a long time horizon – 15 years – our economy has not been able to produce sustainable gains in employment.

First, consider what this means for every aspect of life in Missouri.  The lack of new jobs impacts every corner of quality of life and public policy. From the social services required, to the ability to fund those very social services.

Second, there are large macroeconomic forces which produce out-sized effects. From the point of view of the state of Michigan, where 20% of the state’s job base has vanished in the last fifteen years, Missouri must look pretty good.  The other extreme is Nevada. Despite its current “hard landing,” the rapid growth of Las Vegas (where two-thirds of its population resides) puts its job gains at 54% over that period.

Finally, if you believe that we exercise some responsibility for this lack of economic vitality (that is to say, it’s not all determined by the big economic forces), it cannot be considered an indictment of a specific politician or political party.  The track record is too long to be attributable to any single entity.  It is an indictment of the conventional wisdom of economic development in Missouri.