ECONOMIC STATS TO BE KEPT ON AV MOVE TO KEEP INFO VITAL TO BUSINESS GOES TO GOVERNOR.

Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Legislation to require state agencies to keep economic statistics on the Antelope Valley has been approved by the state Legislature and now heads to the governor's desk.

Senate Bill 143, authored by Sen. George Runner, R-Lancaster, requires the Employment Development Department to provide Antelope Valley statistics on wages, consumer price index, prevailing wage, unemployment, occupational wages and median income.

The bill also requires the Department of Finance to provide separate Antelope Valley statistics when information is available to do so.

``If this legislation is signed into law, the Antelope Valley will have more tools to demonstrate that it is a business-friendly region,'' Runner said.

The bill is supported by Lancaster and Palmdale city officials and by groups including the Antelope Valley Board of Trade, the Greater Antelope Valley Economic Alliance and the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.

``By providing labor costs by occupation and other economic information relative to the area from an authoritative governmental source, it is our belief that the region can verifiably be touted as providing a lower cost of doing business - attracting businesses that may otherwise consider leaving the state,'' said Mel Layne, president of the Greater Antelope Valley Economic Alliance.

The data would help in regional planning for transportation, land use, education and economic development, supporters said.

The bill initially called for a variety of state agencies to provide separate Antelope Valley data, but supporters said they had to accept some whittling down as a condition of getting the legislation passed. They called it a good start that they look to expand upon in the future.

A bill requiring the state to provide a separate breakdown of statistics for the San Fernando Valley was passed last year.

Jim Skeen, [phone]

james.skeen(at)dailynews.com