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(Continued .from page l5) and what does it mean to the building material dealer?"

Paradoxically, while residential construction is down, unemployment is down also. In many areas, unemployment dropped at about the same rate as the number of permits dropped. Figure that one out! Only ldaho and California showed significant increases in unemployment in 1990. Eight other western states showed declines. When you look at the number of people for each job available, the figures get even more interesting. Only New Mexico and California show slight increases in the ratio of people to jobs. All of the other states show greater numbers of jobs being generated than population. That has to be a good sign.

The general growth in retail sales has been amazing, with California leading in gross figures, because it had such a high gross to start. When it comes to sales per person, every state has shown significant growth in the four year period from 1987 through 1990. New Mexico and Utah were at the bottom in 1990 with an average of $4,835 and $4,989 in retail sales per person, compared with Washington and California at the near top at $9,385 and $9,545 respectively, and Nevada at the "high top" with $l2,l16 in retail sales per person. That last figure says a lot for tourism.

When it comes to real income per person, Colorado, California, Washington and Nevada all share the top figures projected for 1992 with rates at $14,645, $15,694, $14,517 and $14,953 for every man, woman and child in the state. Factoring out tourism, Nevada residents probably would compare more with New Mexico at a projected real income per person for 1992 at about $ 10,749.

What does this mean for the building material dealer? E,ven though housing starts are down for a variety o[reasons. the economy is up in the West and by quite a bit in most areas. People have more money than ever before. They are spending it on something and it is not likely they will be spending it on new housing in the near future. What are they spending on renovating their present homes, or simply fixing them up with the finer things in life?

[:conomic forecasts give a businessman something to think about. Most businesses can shift their attention to take advantage of trends. Maybe you can, too.

Personals

(Continued from page 29)

Jim Haas, Berdex International, Sacramento, Ca., has returned from a twoweek trip to New Zealand.

"Mac" McFadden, Great Western Transportation, Riverside, Ca., is recuperating from a heart attack. Len Thompson is dispatching during his recovery.

Betty Foster has joined sales at Preston Lumber Co., Cloverdale, Ca., according to Jim Blevins.

Pete Petersen, Columbia Forest Products, Glendora, Ca., is back from a business and fishing trip to Alaska.

Dennis Richardson, Oregon Canadian Forest Products, Orange, Ca., has returned after a "Houseboat from Hell" trip on 118" Lake Mojave, Az. Jeff Lynn got in a recent trip to the interior of 8.C., Canada.