NY restaurant owner says Biden’s visit will cost him
Dr. Fahed Saada, a Syracuse restaurant owner, explains the 'financial hit' his restaurant will be taking when the president visits the city.
A New York restaurant owner said Thursday that President Biden's visit to Syracuse would cause a "financial hit" to his business, as the president touted the state of the economy and job creation.
Dr. Fahed Saada, owner of Pita Dream, told "Fox & Friends First" he was "suddenly" informed that the streets in front of his business would be closed for 12 hours during peak business hours, forcing him to cancel the services of third-party delivery groups.
"That's a major source of our sales at Pita Dream," Saada said. "This will be a financial hit for us."
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Saada has also told some employees to "stand by" on coming to work, including local high school students hoping to make extra money during their spring break.
"It's challenging to keep a small business running these days. This disruption will add to our challenges," he said.
Biden traveled to the state to announce a preliminary agreement to provide semiconductor manufacturing company Micron with up to $6.14 billion in direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act.
Biden on Thursday sought to sell voters on an American "comeback story" as he highlighted long-term investments in the economy in upstate New York to celebrate Micron Technology’s plans to build a campus of computer chip factories made possible in part with government support.
The initial phase of the New York project would open the first plant in 2028 and the second plant in 2029, with more time expected for the next two factories to be completed.
Saada argued there are more pressing issues facing the nation that the president needs to prioritize.
"This is such a big deal," Biden said. "We’re bringing advanced chip manufacturing back to America."
He added: "It’s one of the most significant science and technology investments in our history."
President Biden delivers remarks at the North American Building Trades Unions (NABTU) 2024 Legislative Conference at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Biden attended the conference to receive an official political endorsement from NABTU. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
"As a Palestinian-American who believes in really putting America first, it troubles me to see funds go overseas… tax dollars being used in many ways to harm innocent people, like people in Gaza," he said, referring to the president's signing of a $95 billion foreign aid bill this week.
"We should use this money here, fund our VA system, ensure no one is without a home, support our police force, address significant issues like drug use, mental health disorder, gun violence. Especially since our city mourns the recent loss of two brave officers just last week."
A recent Fox News Poll revealed over half of voters believe they are worse off today compared to four years ago.
"Things seemed much better under President Trump's terms regarding our national priorities and how we manage our resources," Saada said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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