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Wisconsin’s private-sector job growth continued to lag the national average in 2015, ranking 36th nationally and second from last in the Midwest.

However, with shrinking unemployment, annual wages in Wisconsin grew ninth-fastest among the states and Washington, D.C., and ahead of the national average.

In response to the latest quarterly and annual federal jobs report Democrats called for a jobs summit and an emergency special session of the Legislature on job creation.

“While Republicans used this last session to reward right-wing special interests and enhance their re-election chances, hardworking people, entrepreneurs and communities continue to suffer,” said Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha. “The goal should be to move in the next 12 months from the bottom third to the top third in jobs.”

Gov. Scott Walker rejected that idea while speaking to reporters after an appearance at an entrepreneur conference in Madison.

“The people who oversaw the loss of 133,000 jobs, the people who raised taxes, who raised tuition by 118 percent over the decade before our freeze are the audacity of hypocrisy,” Walker said. “Democrats have no credibility on that issue. When they were in charge they failed on jobs. They will fail again if given the chance.”