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2009 Counties Survey Indicates Economic Weakness, Optimism for Recovery

Ninety-three percent of county elected officials participating in the 2009 National Survey on the Study of Counties rated economic conditions as poor or fair, a significant increase from 81 percent in 2008.

The National Center for the Study of Counties (NCSC) at the Vinson Institute conducts the National Survey on the Study of Counties each year in cooperation with the National Association of Counties (NACo). The survey collects information from county elected officials around the country about issues facing their governments.

The 2009 survey results were released in the report "Where the Rubber Meets the Road: County Officials' Views on the Economy and Other Issues" at the NACo annual conference in Nashville, Tennessee, in July.

Despite broad pessimism about current conditions, 57 percent of those surveyed expressed confidence in the new Obama Administration's ability to turn around the economy. More officials expressed optimism that the country's economic situation was improving than in spring 2008, and the percent of those who said the economy is worsening dropped from 53 percent in 2008 to 42 percent in 2009.

NCSC polled a random sample of 500 county elected officials between April 27 and May 19, 2009, to compile the data for the report. 2009 marks the sixth year that the survey has been conducted.