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Open letter to Gov. Corbett of Pennsylvania

By
Pennsylvania Governor Corbett 
Dear Gov. Corbett,

Secretary Alexander has made the decision not to allow employers of personal care attendants choice when it comes to payroll providers.

People with disabilities are disempowered when they can't make decisions about the providers they use.

I am an employer and taxpayer, and this decision by Sec. Alexander is a significant threat to the safety and security of disabled people across the state.

By not having any choice of payroll services, there is no accountability if the company does not do their job. The company that received a contract has a horrible reputation, and is well known for being unresponsive to the customers.

This will not save the state money! While there is some cost savings, the alternative is for independent employers to use the agency model of personal care. Total cost for agency care averages 150% more than the cost of providing care to independent employers.

By my calculations, it will cost the state 350% to 1300% more than the savings, depending on how many consumers choose the agency model.

Finally, forty organizations statewide are being forced to terminate workers. These jobs are not recoverable because they are being outsourced to Massachusetts.

Sec. Alexander has refused to meet with anyone from the disabled community, regardless of whether they are individual consumers like myself or organized protesters such as ADAPT.

Pennsylvania has always been known as one of the top five places in America to live and work for people with disabilities. Today they ranked 50th, for a number of reasons, however this decision by Sec. Alexander was the breaking point.

Please ask Sec. Alexander to meet with us and create a solution.

Sincerely, Jason Tweed
Republican Voter, Taxpayer, Father, employer and Pennsylvanian with a disability
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Location: Harrisburg, PA, USA

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