The unemployment rate is up in Florida. And proprietors are amid a retail slump. A new Voices of Florida poll shows registered voters put jobs and the economy at the top of the list of issues in this presidential campaign.
But many voters don't see a solution in the candidates. Concert 90's Laura Taylor files this report.
As store owners enter the busiest shopping season of the year, Florida is in a retail slump. The Associated Press says the sales slump at the nation's biggest stores deepened last month -- just in time for the holidays. The report shows the economy is worrying consumers, who say they don't have disposable income.
Indeed, it's not exactly packed at University Square Mall in Tampa on this November morning. But Music Land manager Chaz Serrill says he feels secure in his job.
"We're making our sales goals. We compare to last year on this day, and we're doing better than last year. It's not hurting us. I don't know anywhere else it's being felt, but it's definitely not touching us."High job security is reflected in the Voices of Florida Poll. But questions on the economy and jobs reveal mixed results. Some of those same voters worry the good times will end soon, if they lose their jobs.
James Bouchard is a Pasco County mechanic. His main concern is the high unemployment rate -- and what would happen to his family if he becomes another statistic.
"If the economy goes to kapooey, I'm without a job, even being a mechanic. What's the future for my kids?"Bouchard says the high unemployment rate affects his job as a mechanic, because he says customers only get repairs when they absolutely need them. He'd like to ask presidential candidates what they're going to do about it.
"What gets me is every time we get a president in that actually wants to run for the presidency, they always hit the economy type deal. 'One, we're going to try to get more work for people. Two, we're not going to raise the taxes up anymore,' stuff like that. But when it comes down to brass tacks, none of them actually ever did what they said they were going to do, so far."Part of Bouchard's cynicism is because he believes politicians have it better than most Americans.
"They've got a nice job. They sit there in an air-conditioned office, making their $100,000-plus-a-year salary -- I really don't know what they make, but I'm just guessing -- and they don't actually go out and see what the working man does. Why should they get out of their office and ride around in their car and have to sweat?"Lydia Rotoveel is sweating it out as a bank teller in Port Richey, in Pasco County. She's afraid she'll lose her job.
"The banking industry is changing constantly, and right now there are no full-time positions, you either can go part-time... I'm peak-time, and they eliminated that position, so I have to apply for a part-time position now."Rotoveel has worked for Barnett Bank for five years, just to have to start over again. She says,"that's politics." If she could address politicians, she'd ask them to stop draining Social Security.
"They keep on dipping into Social Security to pay for aid and stuff like that, and they need to worry about the American people first, before they start worrying about aid and foreign policy and that."Besides worrying about her present job, she also fears what will happen in her retirement.
"Social Security is a supplement, and there won't be any. Most of the companies don't offer retirement, because most of the companies go under, and we have to look for retirement elsewhere."Rotoveel says she feels President Bill Clinton is ignoring the financial needs of Americans. Mechanic James Bouchard also feels disaffected.
"I wish we'd get a candidate that would come into office and look at the working man. And if he does that, you would actually see things change, in my book."This is Laura Taylor reporting.