The Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies

This first Fact Sheet in a series 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). One key result is that a majority is pessimistic about the current state of the regional economy. This is not surprising since the regional economy has experienced a recession and slow recovery over the last few years. It is important to note that there is a diversity of views, and assessments of current economic conditions vary systematically across demographic and economic groups. Opinions on the comparative strength and direction of the region’s economy are also mixed. Finally, only a minority believes that local government is adequately addressing some of the economic problems facing the region.