The latest employment numbers show virtually no change — a bump from 11.7 to 11.8 percent unemployment — in the jobs situation in Mecklenburg. But if we go back to February 2008 the trend is clear: almost 37,000 jobs have disappeared.

Here’s how dismal and petty the numbers have become on the local jobs front. Because about 440 more people came out looking for work but only 60 more jobs were out there, the February jobless number ticked up from the January figure. Yea boy, that is some recovery we got going. At that rate Mecklenburg will get back to pre-recession levels of employment — about 440,000 jobs — in 50 years.

Meanwhile, look at Wake County. It has 410K jobs compared to Meck’s 403K. Wake’s pre-recession job total was 430K. Have we seen a permanent shift in the total jobs ranking for the state? Will Mecklenburg ever again have more jobs than Wake? Wake added 1500 jobs from January to February — that’s 1440 more than Meck for those playing along at home. I don’t see how it ever happens.

What’s more, either Charlotte starts to lose population or the unemployment number stays in the double digits. When is the last time you heard anyone from the Uptown crowd talking about Charlotte shrinking? Yeah, me too.

I can’t be the only one who sees this, I am not that smart. But what it portends I think has the usual suspects in total denial. CMUD? Yeah, fewer ratepayers means higher rates. Lower county sales and property tax take? Well, either revamp spending or hike taxes for the remaining taxpayers. The city? CATS? CMS? The bond rating agencies? The airport and its three frickin’ runways? All assumed uninterrupted, stratospheric growth in jobs, tax base, population, and wealth.

At least until the county climbs above the 410K total jobs number, there is just no way to pretend that a corner has been turned and normalcy is at hand — or especially that the status quo spending and governing plans are remotely sustainable.

Update: The news was so grim I forgot to mention that Meck hit an all-time high for unemployment in February — 53,968. WBT and Tara Servatius at least understand the significance of these numbers — I’ll chat about them with her at around 5pm today.