MY local economy has ALWAYS sucked, because it's firmly based on tourism. Local businesses have relatively high fixed costs (especially the amusements, where insurance premiums are staggering) which apply year-round, even though the tourists are only generally here for about 3/5 of each year. This means that nobody can afford to pay good wages. Meanwhile, everything that people buy in order to live - from clothing to food to gasoline - gets priced with relatively well-heeled tourists in mind.

The only thing that keeps this county afloat in lean years is the fact that we're within about a day's drive of some 70% of the U.S. population. This means that when the middle class folks who normally come here decide to economize and "staycation" [stay home and visit attractions local to them], the upper middle class folks who normally fly to Hawaii or cruise the Bahamas decide to economize by driving here instead.