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ARMONK, N.Y. Armonk locals have differing takes on news of last weeks U.S. job report, ranging from hopeful to skeptical.
"I hope the news is positive, I really do," said Cris Anses, a Purchase resident. "It will impact family dynamics because people are happy when they're working and happier households make happier children. It will also impact the housing market, which is a big issue in Westchester."
Anses was referring to the report of 200,000 private sector jobs that were added to the U.S. economy in December, which doubled November's pace and pushed the unemployment rate to 8.5 percent, the lowest level in nearly three years, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Matthew Jungen, an employee at Swiss Re in Armonk who lives in New York City, said, "It may be a situation where the unemployment situation is improving but unemployment is still very high. When you compare numbers on a monthly basis it doesn't have much value. It's the annual numbers that are significant."
Jungen continued, "It doesn't impact me because I have a job. It impacts a certain part of society that goes from job to job."
Ted Blumenthal of Armonk said he doesnt trust the 8.5 percent unemployment figures. "When they say they created 200,000 jobs, are they career jobs? There's not much manufacturing taking place so I don't know what kind of jobs they mean. They're inflated numbers to justify someone's agenda, but I hope for the best."
Armando Garcia, a pilot who lives in Fort Worth, Texas and works for ATI Jet, a charter service that flew to the Westchester Airport, said, "It's good news on paper, but a lot of people are suffering financially and we're not seeing as much spending."
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