PORTLAND, Ore. -- A new Portland Tribune-FOX 12 poll shows fears over the economy are hitting home in the Portland area.

Benny Ma, the owner of a Chinese eatery in southeast Portland, said the recent economic crisis has affected his restaurant.

"I just bought the business, so I don't have a lot of extra money in savings," Ma said. "In addition to that, the cost of everything has gone up."

Ma said the recent downturn in the economy has affected his customers too -- they're pinching their pennies and staying home instead of eating out.

Ma isn't alone in his fears. According to the poll, two-thirds of the 400 respondents agree that "the economy is a mess and needs to be fundamentally and radically reformed." The poll, conducted by Davis, Hibbitts & Midghall, interviewed 400 people from Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties. The results showed widespread economic anxiety and skepticism about the future.

It also shows that concerns have shifted from quality-of-life matters like traffic and crime to issues like job creation and economic development.

In the poll, one in five people said someone in their household has delayed routine medical care because of the shaky economy. Meanwhile, one in six said a household member's work hours have been cut.

The poll also showed 39 percent of people lost the sense of personal financial security.

"I'm very worried about it," said Jodi Lankins, who lives in Portland. "I actually just started a second job yesterday because of it."

Ma said his biggest worry is not knowing what is going to happen next. Every night, he said, he goes home and watches news solely for the purpose of finding out what is happening in the U.S. economy.

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