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Florida Consumer Confidence Remains Relatively Optimistic

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/AP) – When it comes to the economy, Floridians remain reasonably optimistic despite possible setbacks that are on the horizon.

The University of Florida's monthly survey on Tuesday showed consumer confidence remained unchanged at 77 in August after increasing by four points in July. That's on a two-to-150 scale with 100 equaling consumer confidence in the benchmark year of 1966.

The university contacted 432 Floridians Aug. 12-23. The July figure originally had been announced as 76 but was revised upward by one point.

Chris McCarty, director of the university's Survey Research Center, said Floridians either are unaware of two upcoming events that could set back the nation's economy or assume Congress will fix them.

One is the expiration of tax cuts passed during the administration of former President George W. Bush. The other is automatic spending cuts.

(©2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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