RUSKIN, Fla. — When asking small business owners in Ruskin what their biggest concern is for the upcoming election the answer was always the same: inflation.
Jeanine Dowling has owned Sheer Style Studio for the past six years. She said the people who sit in her chair are more than clients—they’re family.
“So I love it because I not only get to make people look beautiful on the outside but be there and help them on the inside,” said Dowling.
Dowling said it was heartbreaking to have to tell her loyal customers that she was raising her prices, but she had no choice.
“With the inflation, I’ve noticed now that my products have literally doubled or even tripled, so in February, for the first time in a long time, I actually had to put out a notice that I had to increase all my prices in order to be able to keep my business running,” said Dowling.
Some of these clients are now forced to decide between a new haircut or buying groceries.
“Obviously, as hair stylists, nail techs, and everybody in this beauty industry, we are not a necessity. We are a want,” said Dowling.
Dowling does have some ideas she thinks would help everyone out. “I think increasing wages would definitely help for sure,” she said.
Down the street, Jennifer Mancilla, owner of Louie Beans food truck, also voiced her concerns as a voter and small business owner.
“Honestly, the most important thing for me right now that I’m worrying about is inflation. The cost of everything is ridiculous. I’ve only been in business for two years, and I’ve already raised my prices twice, and at this point, I can’t raise them anymore, I can’t,” said Mancilla.
She said it's frustrating hearing customers say they love her drinks but can no longer afford them.
“There has to be a solution,” said Dowling. “I’m really hoping for the best here, this is like rock bottom. I feel like it just can’t get any worse than what it is.”
Then there’s South Shore Pools. Owner Joey Sorrels started out cleaning pools and now he’s building and installing them. He said it's hard to stay afloat due to inflation.
“Things skyrocketed to levels we’ve never seen before, more than doubled on some chemicals and products,” said Sorrels. “And it’s just a tougher sell every time a customer goes, ‘three years ago it was $20,000 cheaper,’ and all you can say is, ‘I know it was, but what do you do.’”
Sorrels said his employees are facing a whole other challenge: trying to reach permanent citizenship.
“And to see them fight and strive and do everything by the book, exactly how it should be, and then to go through those struggles and then just the letdown and disappointment on their faces, we feel it too. It's the same thing, for what they feel we feel for them and their family,” said Sorrels.
He said those employees might not be able to vote, but he sure can.
“It’s probably the most important it's ever been in my entire lifetime,” said Sorrels.
Investigative Reporter Katie LaGrone obtained the most recent batch of Florida teacher exit interviews which detail, in their own words, why teachers left the classroom this summer.
