Another mystery explained

Journal Sentinel's ad check of recent Doyle ad, by Steve Schultze:

The ad states:

* Doyle "helped create 170,000 new Wisconsin jobs." But the 170,000 figure uses seasonally unadjusted numbers to bolster the tally. Though the count is technically true, by using January 2003 -- generally a low point for employment during the year -- as his starting point and comparing it to last August -- generally a high employment month - Doyle's ad creates a rosier impression on state employment, a Journal Sentinel analysis published Sunday found. Using the method preferred by most economists - comparing seasonally adjusted payroll estimates - gives a net yield of 91,300 new jobs for the Doyle era."

An Xoff correspondent says:

I don't know, call me crazy, but maybe the reason that the Governor uses January 2003 is that is when he took office.