MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL
Friday, September 14, 2007
MISSISSIPPI ECONOMIC COUNCIL SURVEY FINDS OPTIMISM
(JACKSON, Miss.) -- Mississippians have a positive attitude about the direction of the state, according to "Economic State of the State" released by the Mississippi Economic Council (MEC) and GodwinGroup.
When asked if the state was headed in the right direction, 95% of MEC member business leaders polled said yes, while 61% of voters also believe Mississippi is headed in the right direction. These numbers have risen significantly when compared to MEC's 2004 poll when 76% of business leaders and 55% of voters thought the state was moving in the right direction.
Blake Wilson, president of MEC, says the results are very positive for Mississippi. "I've been polling people for more than 30 years. I've polled people in Delaware, Florida and now Mississippi. And results from our poll were astonishing. It's excellent news for the state's future," he says.
According to the poll, business leaders and voters believe the state economy will improve as 75% business leaders were positive about the state economic situation and 56% of voters showed confidence in the state's economy.
There was an 11% jump in business leaders' opinion of how the state rates as a place to do business when compared to surrounding states as 34% rated it better than competing states and 53% rated the business climate the same as other Southern states.
For the full story, visit Mississippi Business Journal Online: http://www.msbusiness.com/article.cfm?ID=5250