Doyle official defends stimulus-created jobs (12:03 p.m. 12/17/09)

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A top official in Gov. Jim Doyle’s administration is defending the number of jobs that have been created so far under the federal stimulus law.

Through the end of September the White House reported that about 10,000 jobs were created or saved through the stimulus, with at least 6,100 of those being teachers and other jobs in the public sector.

Department of Administration Deputy Secretary Dan Schooff told members of the Legislature’s budget-writing committee Thursday that he expects more private sector jobs to be created in the coming months.

Budget committee member Republican Rep. Robin Vos said it’s embarrassing that only about 2,000 private sector jobs were created or retained through roughly $680 million in stimulus money.