We noted in a recent item on government employment that since the recession officially ended in June 2009, private payrolls have increased by more than 1 million workers, but government payrolls have declined by 493,000 -- cutting the number of jobs created almost in half. We also noted that the decline came from loss of employment at the state and local level, since federal employment had increased slightly.

Leachman, the state finance expert at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, said there was little doubt that there's a connection between the end of the stimulus and public-sector layoffs.

"The recession has just been a historic one for state and local governments. It’s very badly damaged their revenues, and they're still in a deep hole from the recession," he said, adding, "It's clear that job losses are going to continue in the next year and beyond."