Clear skies on the economy, with only a few clouds on the horizon

According to experts, the cities of Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village can expect the favorable economy to continue. The Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village Regional Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Economic Outlook breakfast last Friday at Westlake Village Inn.

Optimism usually takes center stage during these events, and why not? We live in a upscale area with excellent demographics. Employment looks good, and people who work here also pour money into the local economy by buying goods and services. "Shop local" is a win-win for everyone: consumers, merchants and taxpayers.

We've always wondered what would happen if one of the experts got up and said, "Sell your home as quickly as you can. Pack up the kids and pets, and hit the road. The whole darned region is about to hit freefall, and it's going to be mired in quicksand for the next five years."

Some of the crowd would probably just nod their heads in agreement and whisper to a tablemate, "These are the best eggs Benedict I've had in years." Other people, paying closer attention, might perk up and reach for a Tums.

The speakers were genuinely optimistic, but a few offered some sobering news.

Many local jobs are in lower-paying service industries. We need these people because of the lifestyles we enjoy. But they can't afford to live here.

In fact, many of us couldn't afford to buy the very homes we live in.

Conejo Valley is also getting older. The average age of a resident is going up, which means there are fewer young married couples with children.

More and more of us are empty nesters. We raised our kids here, but they couldn't afford to stay, and moved away.

Declining enrollment at public schools isn't good news, especially when it's coupled with fewer housing startups.

The future is bright. But only for residents who've been here for awhile or newcomers with exceptionally high-paying jobs.