Inflation may be tamer and fears of a nasty recession may have receded, yet small businesses are not feeling particularly sanguine, according to the Small Business Economic Trends report put out last week by the National Federation of Independent Business. A majority do not expect better business conditions in the next six months.

Meanwhile, John Kabateck, the California state director for NFIB, said there’s not much coming out of Sacramento to boost morale. “More paid leave mandates, higher unemployment insurance costs, and another crack at an impossibly expensive universal health care scheme are being talked about,” Kabateck said. “Business owners can expect to pay more without any counterbalancing benefit.”

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One interesting survey said 81% of respondents plan to visit relatives during the holidays, but only 55% reported they were looking forward to it. The main reasons for the ambivalence: 45% anticipate arguments or some kind of family drama mainly because of political differences and 20% weren’t looking forward to uncomfortable sleeping arrangements.

The survey, commissioned by SleepZoo.com, a website about improved sleep, was taken in 2019 but was circulated online recently.

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We all know that inflation hurts many. But SmartAsset, a personal finance website, came out with a new take recently that looked at cities where residents have beaten inflation. More specifically, it looked at how median personal income changed in 400 cities during the 24-month span of 2021 and ’22; some cities saw income gains higher than the rate of inflation, which was 13.5% in that span.

Rancho Cucamonga in San Bernardino County was a top performer. Its median income grew 29.2% in those two years – the third highest in the country. And in northern Los Angeles County, the neighboring towns of Lancaster and Palmdale saw their income go up 23.2% and 23%, respectively, good for 11th and 12th best in the country.

Also beating inflation were Downey, where median income grew 17.3%, and Burbank, where it grew 14.1%. Alas, Los Angeles residents saw their median income increase only 8.2% in the period, lower than inflation. 

The Insider is compiled by Editor-in-Chief Charles Crumpley. He can be reached at [email protected].