Scott Powers
A new Hispanic consumer confidence survey from Florida Atlantic University finds Latino Florida voters more optimistic than the nation about the economy but about the same in assessing President Donald Trump.
The survey of 600 people, conducted by FAU’s Business and Economic Polling Initiative, found that 39 job approval rating for Trump, and a 60 percent disapproval rating.
It also found majorities are happy and optimistic about the economy, attitudes not shared by Hispanics nationally.
“Hispanics in Florida are better off financially and this is reflected in their feelings about the economy,” said Monica Escaleras, director of FAU BEPI. “However, they still don’t approve of the president’s performance.”
The poll, conducted during the first three months of 2017, has a margin of error of 3.9 percent.
It found that 53 percent of Florida Hispanics said they expect good times financially for the next five years. This runs counter to the national Hispanic index that found 57 percent of Hispanics said they expect bad times financially for the next five years.
Florida Hispanics by a margin of 59 to 41 percent see business conditions as good for the next year. Overall, 68 percent of Florida Hispanics said they are better off financially than they were one year ago and nearly 4 out of 5 said they will be better off over the next year as well.
About one-third of Florida Hispanics (34 percent) expect the economy will get better, while 20 percent think it will get worse and 45 percent said it will stay the same.
Nearly 6 out of 10 Hispanics think it is a good time for buying a big item for their home. More than half (58 percent) think it is a good time to buy a house, while nearly 65 percent said it was a good time to buy a car.
