Chances are if you are in the unemployment line you will not notice a laid-off government worker.

While more and more Americans are looking for jobs, especially during this economic downturn, the same cannot be said for those working in the government sector.

According to a poll released Tuesday by the Civitas Institute, unemployment in North Carolina has increased by nearly 200 percent over the past 10 years.

Research into those 10-year numbers revealed that 160,582 individuals of working age were without jobs in 2000. Now, 10 years later, that number has ballooned to 454,694…an increase of 184 percent.

Meanwhile, the working age population has increased by 18 percent (representing nearly one million individuals) – 5,135,609 in 2000 to 6,062,422 in 2010.

The number of private sector employees is on the decline, according to the poll. In the year 2000, a total of 3,327,700 workers were employed in the private sector. Today, that number stands at 3,193,700 or a loss of 134,000 jobs.

What was most startling about the poll results was that the number of government workers increased by nearly 100,000 during that same 10-year period.

Statewide, today’s government payroll (which includes local, state and federal workers) numbers 647,300. Ten years ago there were 555,000 government workers.

So, what does that tell us?

As long as our government officials have a steady stream of revenue…and that pot of money is mostly fueled by taxpayer dollars…they are able to keep individuals gainfully employed.

While we totally understand that a majority of these government workers perform jobs that are needed for the well being and protection of the general population, there is always “fat” that needs to be trimmed.

We would encourage all levels of government to spend wisely in this tough economy. Take a look at how the private sector is coping….by doing more with less.

– The Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald