Valley Leaders Optimistic About Economy 

According to a just released poll, Arizona’s opinion leaders see positive developments on the economic horizon.  The poll of community and business leaders in the Valley shows ever-increasing optimism about economic conditions both in Arizona as well as in the country as a whole.  The Valley Influentials Poll surveys members of Valley Leadership, Westmarc, East Valley Partnership and Greater Phoenix Leadership.  Over the past several years, members of these four groups have periodically been polled for their opinions on a wide range of topics.  The current polling iteration marks the fourth time opinion leaders have rated economic conditions in recent years. 

 Respondents were asked to rate current economic conditions in the U.S. as a whole and specifically in Arizona.  Impressively, favorable ratings for both the U.S. economy and Arizona’s economy reached the highest levels we have observed in over two years.  Nearly half (45%) of all respondents feel that current economic conditions in the U.S. are either “excellent” (5%) or “good” (40%).  

Arizona’s Economy Better Than the Nation as a Whole

 Although the U.S. figures are impressive, respondents are even more optimistic about economic conditions here in Arizona.  A full 57% of respondents rated economic conditions in our state as either “excellent” (8%) or “good” (49%).

Differences Between Groups

 Greater Phoenix Leadership members are notably more confident in both our state’s economy and the economy of the country as a whole.  In fact, a full 86% of Greater Phoenix Leadership members rate economic conditions in the U.S. as either “excellent” (7%) or “good” (79%).  A full 93% of this group rates economic conditions here in Arizona as “excellent” (7%) or “good” (86%).

Different Party, Different Economy

 Republican respondents rate economic conditions considerably more favorably than do Democrats.  In fact, three-fifths (61%) of Republics feel that today’s U.S. economy is either “excellent” (6%) or “good” (55%).  Meanwhile, only one-quarter (25%) of Democrats polled rate our country’s economy as either “excellent” (2%) or “good” (23%).  This trend is also evident in respondent’s ratings of our local Arizona economy.  A full 72% of Republican rate Arizona’s current economic conditions as either “excellent” (11%) or “good” (61%), compared to just 43% of Democrats who feel the economy is “excellent” (4%) or “good” (39%).   

Economic Trends

Not only were respondents asked to rate current economic conditions, they were also asked to assess the general trend of both our nation’s and our state’s economies.  Respondents were asked if economic conditions are getting better, staying the same or getting worse in both Arizona and the larger country.  The chart below presents the proportion of respondents across iterations of conducting this survey who feel that economic conditions are getting “better.” 

Again, Arizona’s opinion leaders are modestly more optimistic about our state’s economy than about the economy of our nation as a whole.  A full 53% of respondents feel that economic conditions in Arizona are getting “better,” while only 10% feel that our economy is getting “worse.”  When looking at our local leaders’ opinions about the U.S. economy as a whole, we find that 45% feel the economy is getting “better,” but at the same time, one-fifth (20%) worry the U.S. economy is getting “worse.” 

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