By AP
LANSING, MI –
Michigan residents are growing slightly more optimistic about the state economy, despite high unemployment and a shrunken auto industry.
The Michigan State University State of the State survey shows that about half of the 991 people polled statewide from November 2009 through mid-January 2010 expect to be better off a year from now, while about a third expect to be worse off.
Michigan State University economist Charles Ballard directs the quarterly telephone survey. He said Wednesday that he's seeing "some glimmers of hope."
Fewer people said they were worse off than a year ago than at any point since 2007.
The poll has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3%.