According to a 2005 survey sponsored by the UCLA Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies found that a majority of Southern California residents have some degree of confidence in their local government, although they have less confidence in local government’s ability to solve the problems that most affect them. Whites and Latinos have more confidence than other ethnic groups and Los Angeles County residents have less confidence in local government than residents of other areas of Southern California. Ratings of local government performance vary by issue area, but overall residents seem to rate performance as neither adequate nor inadequate but somewhere in the middle.

According to a 2005 survey sponsored by the UCLA Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, Los Angeles County residents mention transportation, the economy, crime, education, and housing as the most important problems in the region. Transportation was by far the most cited concern, both overall and across demographic groups. Respondents who cited these top problems were more likely than others to indicate that local officials’ performance in improving the problem was inadequate.

Southern California is in many ways an attractive place to live, with weather, quality of life, and amenities being the biggest draws. However, a 2005 survey sponsored by the UCLA Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies found that despite these positive features, residents still do have some serious concerns. Residents indicated that transportation, the economy, education, crime, and housing were the most important problems in the region. Transportation was, by far, the most cited concern, both overall and across demographic groups.