THE NEXT LOS ANGELES / TURNING IDEAS INTO ACTION : Livelihoods : THE TIMES POLL: How to Fix the Southland Economy

* Residents’ top recommendations for improving the area economy. (Accepted up to two replies)

Create jobs: 21% County should be friendlier to business: 13% Tax breaks for business: 13% Give business breaks for moving to inner city: 8% Training, teaching skills for the unemployed, inner-city youth: 7%

* Who’s most responsible for improving the economy in L.A. County?

Government: 56% Business: 23% Individual: 6% Family: 3% Schools: 2% Religious institutions: less than .5% All equally: 4%

* Would you spend a few hours every month volunteering to improve the area economy?

Yes: 38% No: 58% Don’t know: 4%

* Which one of these ideas do you think would be most effective?

Allow tax breaks for small business: 36% Hire private investment banker to help small business: 15% Improve area public transit system: 8% Have colleges train people specially for entertainment industry: 7% Take advantage of liberalized trade with Mexico/Canada: 7% Relax environmental regulations to encourage home-building: 6% Major public relations effort: 4% Other/None: 7%

NOTE: Numbers may not add up to 100% because some responses are not shown