From left to right: Dawn Nendza, Kevin Gause, Barbara Barry, Dakiris Koii and David Lonneberg (Lauren Malinowksi)
“Job creation. Anyway to get these people back to work would make me feel a little more secure knowing everyone out there had a job, had health insurance — I wouldn’t have to worry and nor would they.”
(Dawn Nendza, 41, of the West Side of Syracuse, nurse, unaffiliated with a party)
“I’m looking for a grant and this is the problem — the United States gives everybody from another country money. Why can’t you give your own people money to build their own business? I got my own business, KMG catering. I’m a certified chef and all I ask for is a small grant so I can buy me a little restaurant somewhere on the side.”
(Kevin Gause, 46, of the South Side of Syracuse, chef, Democrat)
“The budget is the most important thing to me — to correct the budget. I don’t like having the deficit that we have now. And, in addition to that, I don’t like the business environment of the state of New York particularly right now. There’s a lot of companies that are hurting, a lot of companies that are laying off people that we do business with.”
(Barbara Barry, 66, of Marcellus, executive for a small printing company, Republican)
“Economically, it hasn’t improved coming my way. People get food stamps, public assistance and housing– Section 8. Sometimes it’s unfortunate that that happens because you have people that have been on the system for 30-40 years. You have young people doing the same, having five or six children so they could get more money. That’s using the system.”
(Dakiris Koii, 51, of Syracuse, unemployed, Democrat)
“I’m very hopeful that we can do better with spending our tax dollars. That we can restrain from wasteful spending, that we can prioritize better. I’m looking for character in our politicians, for honesty. I know we are having a hard time setting our budget from year to year in New York so that really concerns me.”
(David Lonneberg, 54, of Syracuse, cashier, Republican)
(Lauren Malinowski is a graduate student in broadcast and digital journalism.)
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