The Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies

Public opinion surveys can play an important role in decision making as they gather information that complements data from standard sources such as the Decennial Census and Current Population Survey. This Information Sheet presents findings from a recently completed survey of Southern California residents (those living in the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura). The information from the survey can help better inform elected officials about the public’s concerns and priorities, such as the issue of job outsourcing. Our main finding is that only a minority of Southern Californians report working for a firm that practice outsourcing. The proportion varies with the characteristics of the firms but not with the socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents.