DC Shutdown, Social Security Top Questions at Congressman's Mahwah Visit

Local business owners say they are working to increase their employees’ access to the government through politician visits that they hope to make more frequent.

Earlier this month, Republican Congressman Scott Garrett visited the Liberty Hyundai and Home Depot in Mahwah for what owners called an “honest” question and answer session with employees.

Garrett, “wasn’t running this year, so this wasn’t about politics,” Rick DeSilva, owner of Liberty Hyundai said about what prompted the Congressman’s visit.

“We have employees from all walks of life here. All different people, and they are all great. They don’t often get the opportunity to have this connection to government, so we thought this would be a good opportunity for it.”

DeSilva shut down the dealership for about an hour and a half on a Friday afternoon, and invited most of his 80 employees to listen to Garrett and ask questions.

Topics that came up during questioning, he said, included the government shutdown and the current political climate in Washington, healthcare, and the future of social security.

“As is always the case when I’m in Mahwah, I am so thankful for the warm welcome and the honest discussion I had with business leaders and employees at Liberty Hyundai and Home Depot on Route 17,” Garrett said in a statement this week. 

“Unfortunately, my visit uncovered the same concerns I’ve heard again and again:  ever-increasing government spending, dramatic changes to health care, and never-ending government intrusion is having a negative impact on people’s personal and professional lives. This trend must change.”

Though the talks covered weighty topics, the business owners said it was a good opportunity for local businesses.

“For our employees, it was a nice aside to what we do everyday,” DeSilva said.

“It was really great that we could give our employees this connection to their government.”