October 26, 2004

2005 Economic Outlook for San Luis Obispo County Topic of UCSB Economic Forecast Project Seminar

Mara Cotich

The prospects for San Luis Obispo County's economy in the coming year will be the topic of a special seminar to be presented next week by the Economic Forecast Project of the University of California, Santa Barbara. The seminar will be held Friday, Nov. 5, at the Performing Arts Center on the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus.

Speakers for the half-day San Luis Obispo County Economic Forecast Seminar will review the performance of the local and regional economies in 2004 and offer the outlook for the county's economy in 2005. Dan Walters, the syndicated columnist and veteran Sacramento watcher, will talk about how Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is doing after one year in office. The program will also include a lively debate about capitalism, trade, and "the Wal-Mart economy."

The UCSB Economic Forecast Project is a research unit that provides regional economic data, analysis, and forecasts to the community.

Registration and breakfast begin at 6:45 a.m.; the speaking program starts at 8 a.m. and will conclude at 11:45 a.m. Featured speakers for the program include:

· Dr. Bill Watkins, executive director of the UCSB Economic Forecast Project and a former research economist at the Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C.: "The San Luis Obispo County Economic Review and Forecast"

· Dan Walters, syndicated newspaper columnist: "Arnie, A Year Later"

· A discussion titled "For the Love of Capitalism: A Debate About Trade and the Wal-Mart Economy" featuring Julianne Malveaux, an economist and commentator, and Stephen K. Happel, a professor at Arizona State University.

Admission to the seminar is $135 per person and includes a copy of the book, "The 2005 San Luis Obispo County Economic Outlook." To register, or for information, contact the UCSB Economic Forecast Project by phone, (805) 893-5739, or visit its web site: www.ucsb-efp.com

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