"The economy is not picking up for me. My salary is still the same, and everything else is going up. Rent and transportation went up, but my salary isn't."

Rosa Pena

"I do not believe the economy is improving. The other day I went to Grand Central, and there weren't any people in the stores at all."

Epifanio Castillo

"It's picked up a little bit. I can see on my job there's been a lot more hiring. In my industry -- technology -- everybody has taken a pay cut. I know a lot of good people who are out of work. But things are picking up slowly."

Kendall Guadeloupe

"The economy is not picking up because prices are going up. Every time I go to the gas pump, the price is going up. I see more money coming out of my salary and I don't see anything coming towards it. I know I'm not the only one experiencing this."

Paulette Gordon

"I'm a cab driver -- and there's no progress in my business. I work for almost 10 hours and I don't make money. I don't see many people in the street to pick up. I don't make enough money to pay my bills."

Vincent Azucar