By KATHLEEN E. CAREY
 
FOLCROFT — Walking out of Southeast Archery & Sports Saturday morning, former U.S. Attorney Patrick Meehan turned to a group at the Delcroft Shopping Center, where seven storefronts sat empty as tangible remnants of the economic turndown.
 
“You really don’t understand it until you come and talk to the guys about their experiences,” he said.
 
Meehan’s visit was part of a campaign stop in his bid as the Republican candidate for the seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Joseph Sestak, D-7, of Edgmont.
 
Visiting four shops in a little under an hour, Meehan spoke with the business owners about the state of their businesses and what could be done to assist them.
 
“With the economy today, people want to put food on their table rather than flowers,” said Tunie Frank of Tunie’s Floral Expressions. “Everybody wants to scale down. We’re feeling it.”
 
She’s owned the business for 13 years and while she’s been able to keep it afloat, she’s relying on the next cycle of holidays to help boost her business into a more solid viable state.
 
“I’m a victim of the trickle-down effect,” Frank said. “I have people coming in asking for jobs three times a week, at least. I wish I could help them. I wish something could happen that more people could be employed.”
 
State Rep. Nick Miccarelli, R-162, of Ridley Park, said his colleagues should reduce extraneous spending and direct it where it’s needed.
 
“These businesses here are struggling. (People) can’t afford to go out to dinner. They can’t afford to send flowers. It’s hard for me to see Lafayette Pizza, Sandy’s Deli struggling. It’s hard for me to go to Harrisburg. They’re spending like drunk sailors.”
 
Keith Carroll of Sandy’s Deli said he hoped his business had gotten through the worst, although the lack of credit has disabled him from offering his pork roll specials because he’s unable to access the funding he needs to purchase the materials.
 
“People want it straight out of a bank account,” he explained about the inventory transactions.
 
Meehan said Carroll’s situation is part of a problem that’s created a cog in the economic wheel.
 
“We keep sending so many mixed signals out of Washington,” he said, adding that more consistency was needed.
 
State Rep. Bryan Lentz, D-161, of Swarthmore, who is Meehan’s Democratic challenger for the seat, said the former U.S. attorney missed his chance in supporting small businesses.
 
“The person sending mixed signals is Pat Meehan,” Lentz said. “He says he’s for creating jobs and helping small businesses, but he opposed the Small Business Bill.”
 
Thursday, the U.S. Senate passed the bill, which would set up a $30 billion fund to open lending to small businesses, cut their taxes and boost Small Business Administration loans. The legislation now rests with the U.S. House.
 
Having visited 22 businesses in 10 weeks himself with three more planned, Lentz said owners listed access to capital as one of their top priorities, followed by assistance with research and development innovation and retaining and recruiting employees.
 
He accused Meehan of extremism by not supporting the bill, as Lentz said other moderate Republicans did.
 
“When he had a chance to show some leadership and bipartisanship on a bill that does help small businesses, ‘Tea Party Pat’ opposed it,” Lentz said.
 
Over at Lafayette Pizza, Peter Kerendzis was preparing himself for a 15-hour day.
 
“Even in the shopping center you can see it,” he told the candidates. “The stores are empty. Everybody says, ‘It’s everywhere.’ People say, ‘Keep going.’ It’s hard, very hard.”