Dear Mr. Poling:
I am writing in strong opposition to
the House Bill 3240 being drafted for the main benefit
of Century Aluminum. The retirees of Century Aluminum
that have had their life sustaining healthcare robbed
from them by Century Aluminum have been begging for help
from our state government with little interest in the
devastation this has placed on us! We refuse to pick up
the tab for their power BREAK when many of us can no
longer afford our medications and many more will join
that group on July 1, 2011 when Century pulls the final
plug, leaving hundreds of hard working West Virginians
that have dedicated years of service to that facility
with absolutely no health care! This healthcare was
contractually promised to the retirees and they took
many concessions over the years to insure it! Now we are
a just a loophole! Century Aluminum
has applied
and been approved for the Early Retiree
Reinsurance Program which provides catastrophic
healthcare coverage for retirees that have not reached
the age of 65. They have chosen not to
participate in this program. They have no
concern for us at all and this is proof! This
is an outlaw company that spends it's profits building a
new facility in Iceland-not West Virginia! Our tax
dollars go to our state! Who's side is our state on? Our
state government appears to have no concern either! I
understand Century has been contacted by Jay Rockefeller
about ERRP and still will not participate! Bryce Turner,
retiree, has been diagnosed with leukemia and is facing
no healthcare on July 1, 2011. Does Bryce matter to
anyone? Well, he does to me! Our state
and our elected officials need to stand behind us and
not forget us! Where is our legislation against
corporate greed willing to do any and everything to
create profits. They are attempting to cripple the
Jackson County school system, again demanding more
breaks, and offered that the state would pick up
$450,000.00 of the deficit, if I understood them right
in their meeting. Get the transcripts and hear it for
yourself. All of these costs get passed on to the
taxpayers and the very people that can not afford their
medications! We demand our elected officials to quit
negotiating with thieves and take care of the very
people that put them in office and help insure THEIR
healthcare! Any negotiations must include
re-instatement of our promised healthcare----NO MORE_NO
LESS!
Thank You:
Concerned Citizen and Taxpayer and
Retiree Spouse
Karen Gorrell
1196 Society Hill Road
Mineral Wells, WV 26150
