"Now, when we compare ourselves against that same benchmark, the southern regional average, we found ourselves last year $1,700 dollars below that mark, and projecting out to next year," Songy said, "If nothing is done, we'll be $2,100 under the southern regional average."
Can we infer the following?
The southern regional average is a flawed benchmark

 * Yes. * It's impossible to say. * No.
The answer is: