Left to right: Gary Sega, Troy Paris, Katherine Eckstadt and Tom Moore (Heather Duggan)
“They’ve got to lower the taxes and keep our jobs here. People are just leaving because there’s no work. I think number two, less government spending. I think we spend way, way too much. Too much on programs that are more of a hand-out than a hand-up for people. I’m really big on that. And I think the welfare rolls are way too high. They’ve got generation after generation making a living off of us. And that’s not right. And I think the third thing is, on a state level, let’s get a state budget on time for once! I mean that’s just sad, that we can’t…We’re supposed to be one of the lead economic states in the union and we can’t get together…It’s just foolishness!”
(Gary Sega, 58, of Eastside of Syracuse, parking lot night manager, Republican)
“I am a single father. More programs for single fathers. After school programs are a very important issue. Help in general, because daycare right now is very expensive. That’s very important — help the single fathers. Especially those men that are willing to stand up for their kids. Because we all know, not only here in Syracuse, but in general, that’s an issue for a man to take care of his kid and provide and do what’s necessary. And if he’s a single father, I think he should have an edge on a lot of priorities and things.”
(Troy Paris, describes himself as early 40’s, from Old Cherry Hill in Syracuse, unemployed veteran, Democrat)
“People in this city just don’t care about anybody. Everybody’s out for themselves… Most of the time the only people you see down here are through Jobs Plus, that’s doing their work experience stuff and half the time, they don’t even care themselves, so why should anybody else care? They complain about it, and then 20 minutes later, it’s going to look the same with all the cigarette butts. Nobody cares.”
(Katherine Eckstadt, 23, of Syracuse, unemployed clerical worker, no party registration)
“The downtown area needs to be changed…We need more stores. More clothing stores, more restaurants, more bathrooms. For the most part of it, downtown’s a disaster. Clean up the sidewalks. I heard they’re going to move the buses down on Adams Street. That’s a big change. I like that.”
(Theresa Howington, 59, from the eastside of Syracuse, nurse attendant, no party registration)
“I usually vote Democratic, but I don’t think either side is doing a very good job lately. So I don’t know who I am going to vote for in this election.”
(Tom Moore, describes himself as early 50’s, from the north side of Syracuse, janitorial service employee, no party registration)
(Heather Duggan is graduate student in broadcast and digital journalism.)
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