The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report from January shows that Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's mishandling of Connecticut's economy has resulted in our state leading the nation in work force reduction during 2012.

While the rest of the nation is showing signs of recovery, the data for all 50 states shows that Connecticut posted the largest decline in its labor force in the country over the past year.

Data covering December 2011 to December 2012 shows that Connecticut shed 51,130 workers within its labor force, representing a decline of 2.68 percent. These numbers represent the largest losses for any state - in both absolute and relative terms.

Connecticut started the year in the doldrums, exceeded the national unemployment rate all year and staggered to the end of 2012 by losing 1,800 jobs in December 2012 - while the rest of the nation added 155,000 new jobs in the same month.

Gov. Malloy is fond of blaming his predecessors for his problems, but it was the governor's state budget two years ago with the largest tax increase in Connecticut history that has landed Connecticut in this fiscal and economic swamp.

Gov. Malloy and the legislature's Democratic majority need look no further than the mirror for creating Connecticut's worst-in-the-nation economy. Gov. Malloy's tax policies have been job killers that have caused the increased outmigration of jobs, businesses and skilled employees to other states.

The bottom line is that Malloy's economic policies have been failures. The latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report broadcasts that fact like an alarm.

We can no longer continue down the current path that has produced an outmigration of workers, the worst performing economy in the country and a diminished ability to participate in the recovery that is tentatively taking hold in 49 other states.

Jerry Labriola is the chairman of the Connecticut Republican Party.