By Howard Fischer
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/knau/local-knau-863099.mp3
Phoenix, AZ – For the first time in years, Arizonans believe that things are
going to get better.
Pollster Earl de Berge said he found a sharp rise since his last
survey in the number of people who think things will be better
six months from now. For example, 33 percent now believe more
jobs will be available, compared with 21 percent at the beginning
of the year. And 24 percent say they expect their family income
to be higher in six months. That figure stood at only 18 percent
in January.
De Berge said part of that is due to more positive
economic news including a rising stock market. But he said much
of what makes up individual attitudes about future economic
condition directly reflects what people are hearing in the
workplace.
"What's going on in their company, whether or not things are
better, whether or not there's more action, whether or not raises
are coming and so on. And so we have a tendency to think that
there must be a lot of talk around the water cooler about
improving conditions in the environments in which people are
working."
But de Berge said that increasing optimism about the future is
not reflected in what people think is going on right now. Only 5
percent say employment is plentiful, with 57 percent saying jobs
are hard to get.