But whether the 2001-2003 work force reduction was driven by $685 million in legislatively ordered budget cuts or other factors is unclear.

"Lawmakers were told that cuts in appropriations would mean people losing their jobs," said the report's author, budget analyst Jonathan Ball.

And while there is a "tight correlation" between swings in budget and employment, there is no clear evidence that one caused the other, Ball told Executive Appropriations Committee members on Tuesday. "Appropriations alone can't account for changes in employment. You have to look at other variables, such as trends in the labor market, retirement and overtime hours worked."

The report shows that since 2000, full-time employment has grown by an equivalent of 633 individuals working 40 hours a work week. But from 2002 to 2003, the worst year of the recession, full-time employment fell by 473 - swings that closely track budget dips and spikes.

These data don't include some 73,000 public college and school employees whose ranks have steadily risen, despite budget trimming.

Ball suspects schools have grown with student rolls and notes that colleges can pad budget shortfalls by hiking tuition.

He said data on public schools, however, can't be trusted because Utah's 40 school districts classify and report employment differently.

- Kirsten Stewart