A Middling Report on Southland Life

If Southern California were a high school student, his or her parents might not be too pleased with a new report card being issued today.

The Southern California Assn. of Governments, the planning agency for the six-county region, for the first time graded aspects of the area’s economy, environment and quality of life. The association awarded no A’s in any of the nine categories, but issued six Cs and Ds.

Education and transportation mobility got the most criticism, both receiving Ds--described as “notice of potential failure.” Steep housing costs that force families to seek affordable homes far from jobs earned a C-minus for the region’s housing category.

The improving economy and declining crime rates earned Bs for trade and safety and a B-minus for employment. Association officials emphasized that the lives and incomes of many Southern Californians have improved since the end of early 1990s recession, but the study also noted continuing poverty and huge income disparities.

“I think most of us agree Southern California is the most exciting region in the country to live and to work in. But at the same time this region needs to recognize our serious policy challenges,” said Riverside Mayor Ronald Loveridge, who headed the panel of elected officials, academics and consultants that produced the study.

The new rating system, established as an annual benchmark, comes as the association predicts problems dealing with population growth in Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial counties. The region of 38,000 square miles is expected to see its current population of about 16.4 million grow to more than 22.3 million over the next 20 years.

“This is a region that is growing fast, and fast growth means large-scale issues that need to be dealt with. This doesn’t mean it can’t be done, but it means a lot of energy to deal with it,” said David Stein, the staff official who supervised the State of the Region report.

The report card--and accompanying 130-page study--are to be released today at an association meeting in Monrovia. Officials said they expect most of the discussion to focus on transportation and education. Those two D grades are intended to show that “we have serious work ahead of us,” said association Executive Director Mark Pisano.

To be sure, the study notes that the area includes many good schools and school districts that have had to teach large numbers of youngsters with limited English. Still, low student test scores across the region and high dropout rates threaten the future of Southern California’s economy, the report stressed.

The study blamed inadequate school funding and academic standards, and charged that too many schools are stifled by bureaucracies.

The Los Angeles metropolitan area had the worst roadway congestion in the country in 1996, the most recent year for which statistics are available, according to the report. Next were Washington, Chicago, San Francisco, Detroit and New York. Association surveys found that about 80% of commuters in Southern California drive to work alone, while about 15% use car pools and 5% use mass transit.

Large-scale expansion of mass transit lines is in doubt because of financial problems. But even if all planned rail lines were built, association planners predict that the impact on traffic would be small. They urge such solutions as freeway carpool lanes and the purchase of more small buses and vans that can take commuters closer to their homes.

The report is mainly advisory. But the agency does have some power to get state and federal funds for transportation projects.

Stein, association manager of performance assessment, described a difficult cycle: The search for affordable housing in new suburbs creates long commutes that cause a withdrawal from civic involvement.

“People may be able to support themselves but they are not much of a citizen at the end of the day,” he said. “We think people deserve better than that.”

A more positive cause of traffic has been the growth in local jobs, according to the report. Losses in defense-related jobs during the late 1980s and early 1990s were being made up by new jobs in entertainment, tourism, foreign trade, high-tech, biotech and manufacturing.

Per capita income in the region rose 5.2% in 1998 to $25,783. That is slightly higher than the national average. Factoring in regional poverty and low-wage jobs, the category of income was graded a C-plus.

The regional unemployment rate was 5.8%, compared to last year’s 4.5% national average. Among the six counties, unemployment ranged from 2.9% in Orange County to 25.7% in rural Imperial County.

The report gave air quality a C. Although the air is much cleaner than in previous decades, regional weather patterns helped to produce 12 first-stage smog alerts in 1998, compared with only one the year before. Waste management received a C-plus, based on efforts to recycle and the amount of trash sent to landfills.

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Grading the Region

The planning agency for Southern California has graded the region for the first time on its economy, quality of life and environment using an A-to-F scale.

Grades: A excellent; B needs improvement; C average grade; D notice of potential failure; F failing

*

Sector: Employment

Grade: B

Condition: Southern California is once again the largest manufacturing center in the nation. But the regional unemployment rate is above the national average.

Sector: Income

Grade: C+

Condition: After the recession, per capita regional income is on the rebound. However, concerns remain about lingering poverty and unequal income distribution.

Sector: Trade

Grade: B

Condition: The region is a powerful trading center, despite problems in Asian and Latin American markets.

Sector: Housing

Grade: C

Condition: While construction grows, less than one-third of the units needed have been authorized over the last three years. Affordability is a major issue.

Sector: Mobility

Grade: D

Condition: The Los Angeles metropolitan area had the worst congestion in the nation in 1996. Mass transit ridership has increased but remains very low.

Sector: Air Quality

Grade: C

Condition: Cleaner fuels have sharply reduced smog. Yet a recent study found that L.A. residents face higher cancer risks than people in areas with cleaner air.

Sector: Waste Management

Grade: C+

Condition: The amount of waste sent to landfills in the region had declined after 1990. However, there was a 2.6% increase in 1997 from the previous year.

Sector: Education

Grade: D

Condition: A skilled workforce is essential for the global economy, but California ranks 37th in the nation in high school graduation rates.

Sector: Safety

Grade: B

Condition: The region experienced a 10% reduction in crime during 1996 and 1997, and juvenile felony arrests have declined for eight consecutive years.

* Source: Southern California Assn. of Governments