Most Feel State Is in Economic Slowdown

Most Californians think the state’s economy is in a slump, but nearly half believe that it will perk up next year, according to a Field Poll released Saturday.

The survey conducted by the Field Institute found that 51% of Californians describe the state as being in economic bad times. Meanwhile, 21% feel the state is in economic good times, and a quarter think California is between good and bad times, the poll found.

A plurality--46%--said the state is in a mild economic slowdown instead of a recession or depression, and residents are more optimistic now than earlier this year about a recovery, the survey found.

Forty-eight percent predict that the economy will improve over the next year, 30% say it will stay the same and 18% expect it to deteriorate.

In May, nearly half of those surveyed in the midst of the statewide energy crisis predicted that the economy would erode in the ensuing year.

Despite optimism about the future, residents provided mixed assessments of their own financial situations.

More than a third--or 39%--described themselves as being better off than they were a year ago, while a third reported no change and another third said they were financially worse off.

The Field survey polled 1,000 California adults from Dec. 1 to Dec. 11 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.