By Richard Terzian T he UCLA Anderson Forecast predicts another banner year for California's economy. It is charging ahead like a freight train with a full head of steam, bringing incredible wealth and opportunity to many. Yet for every promising prediction, another analysis questions California's ability to sustain economic growth. Transportation networks are clogged. Affordable housing is in short supply.
Schools are overcrowded.
And while many employers strain to find and retain qualified workers, many Californians are shut out of the new economic opportunities. The Little Hoover Commission believes that California already has much of the infrastructure needed to address that last problem. In a report released this spring, the commission found California's 107 community colleges are well positioned to address the needs of employers and residents. But the commission also found that the colleges could play a much larger and more important role in their regional economies, in their communities and in the lives of their students. The potential of the colleges can be seen in those that are responsive and innovative.