SYRACUSE, NY (WSYR-TV) - For the first time this election season, all three candidates vying for the 24th Congressional District were in the same room to address voters on Sunday.
Republican Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, Deomcratic candidate Dan Maffei and Green party candidate Ursula Rozum were invited by the Alliance of Communities Transforming Syracuse, or ACTS, to take part in a special public action meeting.
More than 200 people were at the meeting, which took place inside Henninger High School in Syracuse.
ACTS leaders called for a raise in minimum wage, no cuts to the food stamp program and more accountability from public officials.
All three candidates told ACTS and voters that their top priority was putting people back to work.
"What we're really an advocate for is getting people back to work and creating a climate where we can get our job creators to create jobs and this unemployment rate has been at about eight percent for the last 42 months. We’ve got to get the American people back to work. That’s the priority, getting people out of poverty and into good jobs,” said Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle.
"Jobs and the economy are a critical issue this year and I think it’s unconscionable and immoral that we have over 25-million people in our country that are unemployed and underemployed. I am here because I support a public jobs program to put people back to work. I support increasing the federal minimum wage, and I also support medical care for all,” said Green Part candidate Ursula Rozum.
"Right now working people a facing a real crisis. Some people can’t get jobs. Until every person can get a job, we still have to work harder to make sure that our economy gets better. All of the priorities that we’re talking about today involve working families and making sure that they can get what they need and making sure that you can put people back to work.” said Democrat Dan Maffei.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 6th.
