• by June 8, 2001

Media and advertising strategy planners focusing on California will be interested in noting that according to a new Field Poll study released last week, published in the San Jose Mercury News, the public's mood has shifted dramatically since January, when Californians were highly optimistic about the state's overall economy. "You're talking about millions and millions of people changing their minds when you're talking percentage changes on the magnitude of what we're seeing here," Poll Director Mark DiCamillo said.

Among the study's findings:

- 66% of residents say the state is "seriously off on the wrong track," with just 27% saying it is headed in the right direction.

- In January, 49% thought the state was on the wrong track vs. 43% believing it was on the right track.

- In 2000, 35% said "wrong track" while 58% liked California's direction.

- 59% of residents say the (California) economy is in bad shape, up from 25% in January.

- 48% of California's residents say the state's economy will get worse over the next 12 months, and this perception held across all demographics.

- In the past 20 years there has been only one time -- 1990 -- when so many people expected the economy to deteriorate.

-Residents remain relatively optimistic about their own finances, with 38 percent saying they will be better off in the next 12 months.

If the history of the poll is any indication, said DiCamillo, that bad news will start affecting how people view their financial well-being.

Find out more at the San Jose Mercury News.