As many as 52 per cent of the residents of the USA's most prosperous state, California, believe their state is in a bad economic condition that will continue through 2008, a survey conducted by The Field Poll shows. Only 20 per cent said the state was in good economic times.

When asked about the next 12 months, 70 per cent said they expected the state's economy to worsen or stay the same.

The last time a majority of Californians thought the state was in good economic condition was 2001, when 69 per cent of the respondents said the state was in good economic times.

The survey, conducted among 649 registered California voters between 10 and 17 December, showed 49 per cent of the respondents said they expected no change in their personal position during the new year.

Among those who expected a change, over two-thirds expect to be worse off financially. The survey's margin of error is +/- 4 per cent.