Working the polls

Report from the field by intern David McGee: at-large candidate Marikay Abuzuaiter

With patriotic balloons and signs emblazoned with her message, Marikay Abuzuaiter is happily running for office a second time. She has been joyfully dashing from poll to poll since 5 a.m. to show her enthusiasm and spread her message for a ways to improve Greensboro, a place she has call home for the past 35 years, creating ties that run deep throughout the community.


Her passion to improve the environment in the city is obvious by her fervent desire to keep the White Street Landfill closed to household waste, which has been an issue for citizens on the east side.

“If it can keep any more kids from getting asthma and cancer then it’s worth it,” Abuzuaiter said. “The kids are worth it.”

Being the owner of Mahi’s Seafood Restaurant and four other small businesses, Abuzuaiter has an understanding of the impact fees have on small business owners and ultimately the community. For this reason, if elected she hopes to stop water and sewage fees from rising any further.

As an active citizen in the Greensboro community she recognizes the need for improved public safety. To help address the community concerns her hope is to add 150 more officers to the force.

“There’s so many different things I would like to improve but economic development is huge,” Abuzuaiter said, “and creating jobs is a priority for me.”

For Abuzuaiter, economic development can be achieved by bringing in new commercial jobs, while retaining the small businesses that are still here. It has become a top priority considering they are prime components of the businesses and employers in the Greensboro area. Owning and operating five businesses and the zeal to achieve great things for the city she loves makes her motivation to help others shine through.

“I have no qualms with being a civil servant whatsoever and I know the public,” said Abuzuaiter.