CALIFORNIA BACK IN BUSINESS : ANNUAL STUDY SHOWS JOB, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES ON RISE.Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Daily News Staff Writer Citing what have become familiar yet encouraging themes, California business leaders and voters express growing optimism about the state's economy and job prospects. And, in contrast to the prevailing perception of three years ago, the seventh annual ``California Business Roundtable Business Roundtable (BRT), an association consisting of the chief executive officers of major U.S. corporations that was founded in 1972 through the merger of the three preexisting business organizations. Survey'' concluded Tuesday that the state is re-establishing itself as a friendly place to do business. Forty-eight percent of business leaders plan to expand their California work force in 1997. And the number of companies planning to expand their operations here exceed those who plan to do so elsewhere by 43 percent to 23 percent. An overwhelming majority of business leaders and voters believe that the public education system should get the highest priority when it comes to state spending. ``To me the most significant finding is that half our businesses plan to expand their work force next year,'' said Roundtable President R. William Hauck. In total, the survey found that negative assessments about California's economic health plunged 25 points from the previous year's level. ``This is very encouraging news for California, which has made great strides in repositioning repositioning Laparoscopic surgery The changing of a Pt's position during a procedure to improve access or visualization of the operative field, which may be linked to complications, as it changes anatomic planes of operation. Cf Laparoscopic surgery. itself as a business-friendly state,'' said John Bryson For the mayor of Los Angeles, California, see John Bryson (Mayor). John E. Bryson is the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President of Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison. He is also a director of The Boeing Company, W. M. , chairman and chief executive officer of Rosemead-based Edison International Edison International (NYSE: EIX) is a public utility holding company based in Rosemead, California. Its subsidiaries include Southern California Edison, and un-regulated non-utility assets Edison Mission Energy, a power producer, and Edison Capital. , and who is also the Roundtable's chairman. ``Our hope is that the Legislature and (Wilson) administration will stay the course in the year ahead, looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. more ways to keep California competitive.'' But the horizon isn't all rosy ros·y adj. ros·i·er, ros·i·est 1. a. Having the characteristic pink or red color of a rose. b. Flushed with a healthy glow: rosy cheeks. 2. . A majority of respondents said California's business conditions still lag those of the nation. The Roundtable surveyed 600 California registered voters and the principal officers of 75 major companies statewide. The respondents called the state's liability laws the biggest drag on Verb 1. drag on - last unnecessarily long drag out last, endure - persist for a specified period of time; "The bad weather lasted for three days" 2. economic recovery, though business leaders and voters disagreed as to what degree. Fifty-nine percent of the voters said the liability laws have a negative effect, while 85 percent of the businesses said so. Eighty percent of businesses blamed the state's regulatory environment for retarding the recovery, nearly double that of voters. This year's survey found an 11-point rise in voters who expect the state's job opportunities to grow next year and a six-point increase in voters expecting to make financial gains. Adding to the optimistic op·ti·mist n. 1. One who usually expects a favorable outcome. 2. A believer in philosophical optimism. op assessment, California's exports are expected to reach $123 billion in 1997, up from an estimated $108 billion for 1996, said a forecast from Bank of America's International Trade Bank. Several factors account for the strong growth forecast. The composition of California's exports differs substantially from that of the nation as a whole. And the state's exports will be concentrated in Pacific Rim Pacific Rim, term used to describe the nations bordering the Pacific Ocean and the island countries situated in it. In the post–World War II era, the Pacific Rim has become an increasingly important and interconnected economic region. countries, which will experience sustained rapid economic expansion in 1997, the bank said. CAPTION(S): Chart Chart: (Color) Job Opportunities Next Year Bradford Mar/Daily News |
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