Shutdown's End Sparks Strong Reaction In Yorktown

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- The 16-day government shutdown may be over and a settlement on raising the debt ceiling until Feb. 7 has been reached, but derision for Congress remains in Yorktown.

Sam Sahini, owner of Maria's Pizza, said Congress was acting like a bunch of kids during the shutdown.
Photo Credit: *Sam Barron*

Supervisor Michael Grace and Councilman Terrence Murphy outside of GOP headquarters in Yorktown. Grace said Congress needs to stop being so entrenched in their positions.
Photo Credit: *Sam Barron*

Valentino Farda, a bartender at Murphy's, said President Barack Obama is to blame for the shutdown for his refusal to negotiate during the shutdown.
Photo Credit: *Sam Barron*

Sam Barron

10/18/2013 5:00 a.m.

During the shutdown, patrons of Murphy's Irish Restaurant & Bar in Yorktown Heights used strong language to describe Congress. With the shutdown lifted, the tone did not change.

"The Republicans didn't like the Affordable Care Act, so they took their ball and went home," Bill Waas, a 52-year-old Yorktown resident, said. "Throw all of them out and take away their pensions."

Waas said next year he thinks contentious negotiations to raise the debt limit will continue.

Sitting outside GOP headquarters in Yorktown, Supervisor Michael Grace said he was glad the shutdown was over.

"Thank God they came to their senses," Grace said. "Hopefully they will roll up their sleeves and do the work that needs to be done."

Grace said Congress needs to change the way they act for the better of the country.

"Everybody should be worried about Congress," Grace said. "Being so entrenched doesn't help anything."

At Maria's Pizza, owner Sam Sahini, a 40-year-old Yorktown resident, said he was glad to see the shutdown end.

"They were acting like a bunch of kids," Sahini said. "This shouldn't have happened in the first place. Both parties are to blame for the suffering they caused. They are both a bunch of jokes."

In Pleasantville, Chamber of Commerce President Bill Flooks said while the shutdown hurt, it didn't have a huge impact in this area.

"I believe we will rebound from here," Flooks said. "We should survive pretty well."

Flooks said going over the debt limit would've been catastrophic to local businesses. The Pleasantville Chamber of Commerce now has 175 members, the most its ever had.

Valentino Farda, 52-year-old bartender at Murphy's and a Yorktown resident, said that President Barack Obama is to blame.

"He didn't want to negotiate," Farda said. "He feels he can do whatever he wants because he's in his second term."

While perception is that Republicans caved to end the shutdown, Farda said there was nothing they could do about the Affordable Care Act.

"At least they put it out there and let people see what was going on," Farda said. "I'm tired of Republicans being blamed for everything."

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