A new poll surveying businesses in the San Joaquin Valley found a slightly bright outlook for 2019, with most businesses seeing a slight or marked improvement over the prior year.
The poll, commissioned by the Central Valley Business Federation (also known as BizFed), aimed to tap into the pulse of the Valley business community across multiple industries.
“In order to provide hope and upward momentum for all valley residents, we must have a thriving economy,” BizFed chairman and Granville Homes president Darius Assemi said in a statement. “For that to happen, policy makers must have a greater understanding of issues faced by local businesses.”
Among the findings was that roughly 48.5% of business respondents indicated their business outlook for 2019 was better than 2019. Of that 48.5% most see a slight increase in outlook year-over-year.
About one-third of respondent businesses, however, said that their outlook on 2019 remained flat compared to a year ago.
As for the most pressing concerns this year, surveyed businesses focused their attention on regulation, taxes, and water access and reliability. More than 60% of respondents said each of the issues were “extremely concerning.”
In looking at critical infrastructure needs for businesses, the consensus hued to the Valley’s two continual needs: water and road repair. Increasing water storage edged out road construction by just a five-percent, 48-43% margin among those who think they require immediate action.
