Basically, you have to choose between weathering the rain and weathering the snow. It is easy -- and incorrect -- to think of rain as defective snow, and that a tire that gives traction in snow "therefore" will give traction in rain. In fact, were you a tire designer, designing a tire for the Mazda6, at some point in the design process, you would have to decide whather you would make the tire good in snow or whether you would make it good in rain: the design objectives are opposite. For snow tarction, you need a tread compound that adheres to moisture (snow); for rain traction, you need a tread compound that sheds water so that the tire touches the pavement intimately, not separated from the pavement by a film of water adhering to the tread. If the best snow traction gave the best rain traction, then the beat rain tire would be a tire with chains.
Similarly, when you talk of a "good deal," many people (not necessarily you) mean "good treadwear." However, there is pretty much a direct correlation between long wear and hard rubber compounds, and pretty much an inverse correlation between hard rubber compounds and good braking (wet or dry). The harder the tread compound, the better the wear, and the worse the braking performance. It is a compromise, and you make your choice with your wallet.
If you are going to drive every day in a Northeast winter, your best bet is to run winter tires from Thanksgiving through the end of February, and three season tires ("summer" tires) the rest of the year. Long run, because you are not wearing out the three season tires in the winter and are not wearing out the winter tires the rest of the year, the cost for the two sets of tires option is about the same as running one set of tires year round, but the initial capital outlay is higher.
If you are set on running one set of tires year round, then consider the Nokian line. On the one side of the line is the Nokian NR-Z, a three season tire that can be adequate in light snow. On the other side of the divide is the Nokian WR, an "all season" tire weighted toward winter traction, but which has fair competence in the spring and fall.
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Hey all, Happy Holidays 
