The prestigious academic publisher, the University of California Press, has recently published a well documented survey of demographics and polls showing the state's physical condition and psychological status at the beginning of the new century. “California in the New Millennium” is an important book and is a potentially useful tool. The book has many charts and much demographic data.
Author Mark Baldassare is a fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California. The organization conducts research on the state's economic, social and political issues. One fascinating study is a comparison of the differing population projections coming from various institutions, which reveals that for 2025, the highest and lowest projections differ by more than 10 million people — quite a substantial variance in the prognosticator's art! The study may be read online.
MILLENNIAL CALIFORNIA
Beginning in 1998 the Public Policy Institute surveyed over 10,000 Californians to learn about their views on the economy, education, immigration, increasing ethnicity, welfare, trust in government and other areas. Baldassare used the survey information and provided statistics, research and analysis to fast-forward the reader into the California of the new millennium. He sees a citizenry that is aware of huge changes in population but is disinterested in the government at all levels, perceiving it to be inefficient or incapable of adjusting to change. Momentous public policy decisions need to be made, but voters are tuned out. The author sees continuing high population growth, fueled by immigration that will add 24 million by mid-century. He clearly has concerns that California can muster the political will to cope.
Monumental improvement in the state educational system is necessary to bring up the level of the immigrant underclass. Baldassare places the blame squarely on the state for not upgrading the schools already, although he didn't explain how this massive chore should be financed. Given the necessity to build one school per day now and the increasing population of non-English speakers, this is indeed a monumental problem. The author expresses concern that we are unprepared for the massive ethnic transition and the likelihood of conflict that may result.
— by Carol Joyal and Brenda Walker
