California Lutheran University scored quite a coup in late February when it lured the University of California Santa Barbara’s Economic Forecast Project team to Thousand Oaks.

It marks a bold move for CLU’s relatively new president, Chris Kimball, who seems to have made a quick study of the political and economic landscape of the Tri-Counties. It also underscores the close relationship between CLU School of Business Dean Chuck Maxey and Forecast Project Director Bill Watkins.

Now it is up to both UCSB and CLU to keep the Forecast Project up and running while the sponsors and university administrators figure out what form and shape it will take in the coming years.

Having a viable center for regional economic research and reports is very important to our region’s future. This newspaper joins with others in believing that the ground-breaking work of the forecast project should continue to benefit our businesses and our communities.

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