Economic Report Forecasts Growth For Sacramento Region

January 24, 2012 9:56 PM

Reporting Steve Large

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Sacramento’s fiscal forecast is finally changing from gloomy to growth.

“Is the narrative changing? Sure, the news is getting better,” Sacramento Metro Chamber President Roger Niello said on Tuesday in advance of a new economic report due out Wednesday.

The highly respected Sacramento Business Review will show the region’s economy bottomed out in early 2011 and is now in a slow recovery.

The forecast calls for modest improvement in unemployment and it breaks down the economy with predictions by sector.

The healthcare industry will make the biggest gains in the region, according to the report. Sutter Medical Center’s expansion is an example of some of that growth. It’ll be finished in 2013.

Government jobs will take a hit again, but less hard. The forecast predicts a contraction of up to 1 percent.

And then there are construction jobs. Linked to a continued bad housing market, they will likely stay flat.

The report also shows the public sector accounts for roughly 30 percent of the region’s economy, a number Niello identifies as too high, even for a state capital.

“I think it’s difficult to imagine we could get below 20 percent, or even 25 percent,” he said. “It’s still going to be a significant portion of our economy.”

Reaction to the predicted rebound on Sacramento streets Tuesday was skeptical.

“Not very good,” Sandra Johnson said when asked how she feels about the economy. “I’ve been without a job for over a year now, and it doesn’t seem to be very promising.”

“There’s a lot of studies that come out every day, some good some bad,” Brian Gause said. “I dont believe all of them, but you never know. I’m an eternal optimist.”

So is Sacramento’s 2012 trend a turnaround? The region has been hit by the economic downturn, but this report shows the darkest days may finally be over.

Economic Report Forecasts Growth For Sacramento Region

swim

So, just another “Ok, I think we’ve hit bottom” guess. Wishful thinking is not news.
WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO REPLACE ALL OVERPAID STATE WORKERS WITH LOWER-PAID PRIVATE SECTOR, NON-UNION WORKERS?

time to privatize all these public sector government jobs. time to tell the unions to f#ck off and die. replace these public sector employees with private sector employees who will graciously work for 1/2 the pay and no benefits and no union representation whatsoever. the state government would save untold billions, which we can invest in our infrastructure.

lupe

Send a letter or email to Roger Niello and ask him to reduce the price of the new BMWs by 50%.

Lupe

Heck, forget about a 50% price reduction on new BMWs. Better, would be if Niello and all of the other Sacramento Metro Chamber members did something to help the less fortunate. They can raffle off cars, and give the proceeds to the Sacramento Food Bank. If they do not want to provide food for the less fortunate, they can do something for for veterans. If they don’t want to help those that have served the country by going into battle, they can give to cancer research. I am sure that together, the members of the Sacramento Metro Chamber can do a lot to help in the Sacramento area. Niello is the President of the organization, plus I think he is an elected official. With things the way they are, it is time that leaders come down to earth, roll up their sleeves, break a fingernail, and get in touch with those that have a need. See their faces, offer a kleenex to dry their tears. I am not talking about the gold diggers, but those that have sincere needs.