OH-16: First Boccieri Backyard Discussion Addresses Pensions, Health Care

First Boccieri Backyard Discussion Addresses Pensions, Health Care

Canton, OH – On Wednesday evening, U.S. Congressional Candidate John Boccieri (OH-16) discussed economic concerns with local community members at a backyard gathering in Canton . The meeting was the first in a series of economic discussions, with the next event scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 26 in Massillon .

Attendees’ stories focused on health care and pension struggles. “Last year I spent $20,000 on medicines and doctors,” Harry Featherstone of Wooster told the gathering.

George Korcedes, a Canton resident, described how his employer had taken premiums out of his paycheck for three months without actually providing health insurance, then laid him off – leaving him uninsured for more than 62 days and allowing insurers to deny him coverage based on preexisting conditions. He has since had two heart attacks, but has no health coverage.

Several attendees explained that their employers had repeatedly slashed retirement pensions, even when they were defined benefit plans supposedly protected by law. A 41-year employee of Republic Steel said he has seen his expected pension cut again and again. “You can’t retire,” he said. “You can’t go from $2- or 3,000 a month down to $400, with no insurance.”

“The answers to our nation’s problems are not in Washington ; they’re right here in backyards like this,” Boccieri said at the event. “The success of each of us depends on the success of all of us. We should protect American jobs and American workers.

“I’m going to keep listening to stories like these, because every one of these hard-working people motivates me daily,” Boccieri told attendees. “We’re going to Washington to put America first again. I want to be a congressman who wakes up every day and makes it my job to fight for your job.”

Look for a V-Blog of the event coming your way, soon!