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Americans upbeat on economy Most expect finances to grow, poll shows By WILL LESTER The Associated Press WASHINGTON -- Retired dentist Norman Alpher, a man who follows and invests in the markets, is upbeat about his financial prospects. So is Dana Thompson, a 29-year-old house painter with young kids and no investments. Indeed, a majority of Americans expect their personal financial situations to be stronger a year from now, according to an Associated Press poll. Just over half, 51 percent, said they felt that their finances would be better, while 42 percent said they would be about the same. Only 4 percent expected things to get worse. "I'm pretty upbeat about it," says Alpher, a 67-year-old resident of Silver Spring, Md. "Everybody seems to be working and seems to be making a living." One-third in the poll, conducted for the AP by ICR of Media, Pa., said their personal situations were better than a year ago; 57 percent said they were about the same. Just 11 percent felt their finances were worse. Two-thirds of Americans said they have not changed their spending habits because of recent financial news such as fluctuations in the stock market. But three of 10 said they are now more cautious, according to the telephone poll of 1,017 people conducted April 27 through Tuesday. The poll had an error margin of plus or minus 3 percentage points. The generally upbeat tone on the economy could be encouraging for Vice President Al Gore, the likely Democratic presidential nominee who argues that as part of the current administration he would be the best man to keep the strong economy going. Republican George W. Bush says his tax cut proposal is the best way to ensure continued growth. Just over half of both Democrats and Republicans say they expect their own financial situations to be better a year from now. Democrats appeared to be slightly more upbeat than Republicans. Almost four in 10 of those with money invested in the stock market said things were better financially than a year ago, while just over a fourth of those with no investments felt that way. Those who made $25,000 or more were more likely to feel things have been getting better. "The economy should keep going for a while unless they artificially hold it up," said Alpher, referring to recent increases in interest rates intended to harness inflation. "I don't think there's much they can do to slow it down." In the poll, younger adults were more likely to say their financial situations were better, with four in 10 adults between 18 and 34 saying that compared with just over a third of people between 35 and 44. Only one in six adults 65 and over said they were doing better financially, while three-fourths said their situation was about the same. Agnes Noto, a widow who scrapes by on Social Security, said, "I think everything's too high and they don't pay me much. Everybody's struggling, especially senior citizens." Amid the market fluctuations, the economy continues to signal its strength with recent reports on strong income growth and surging home sales. "Where I live, things are booming in construction work," said Dana Thompson, the house painter and mother of two from Gulfport, Miss. She pays little attention to the news from Wall Street. "I've never gotten into that," she said. "It has no effect on me." More than a third in the poll said they had investments. Only one in eight said the stock market had the most influence on them personally, compared with the job market and interest rates. "I'm not a person who allows myself to get too fidgety or nervous over what I'm hearing," said Romona Murdock, 40, a real estate agent from Cincinnati. "I set a plan for myself and keep my debt load low." Not everybody is getting the benefits of the economic expansion, Murdock said. "The people I talk to and have been around, most of them are trying to work two jobs," she said. Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA