Rupert predicts flat GDP growth in Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County is expected to see flat or even negative GDP growth over the next year, and the long-term outlook for its jobs market is gloomy. That was the prognosis from the team of forecasters at UC Santa Barbara’s annual Santa Barbara County Economic Summit, which held events for the southern and northern halves Read More →
Editorial: Ventura County forecasts need to follow the numbers
Harry Truman famously asked for a one-handed economist who would not equivocate when making forecasts.
Watkins warns of shrinking Ventura County work force
Bill Watkins’ usually dour outlook for California and the local economy is only getting gloomier. The chief economist at California Lutheran University’s Center for Economic Research and Forecasting said March 29 that his outlook a year ago — already pessimistic compared to that of his fellow forecasters — was “wrong, way wrong.” Ventura County lost Read More →
Editorial: Region’s recovery puts private-sector jobs first
Jobs have become the No. 1 issue for economic recovery, and it would be hard to fault the region’s businesses for not doing their share.
Ventura County created 4,603 private-sector jobs in 2011
After an unexpectedly slow recovery in 2011, economists are pinning their hopes on 2012. That was the word from Bill Watkins and Mark Schniepp, two tri-county-based economists who gave separate outlooks for the U.S. and Ventura County economies at a Feb. 3 event at California Lutheran University. “2011 really didn’t shape out to be the Read More →
Editorial: Politicians and economists agree, make building easier
When State Sen. Tony Strickland, Gov. Jerry Brown and California Lutheran University Economist Bill Watkins all agree on a single topic, we’re inclined to pay close attention.
