Shawn Craig, Republican candidate for State Representative and Iraq war veteran, once again sharply criticized poor spending habits of the State House. This time the Governor has agreed to pay CGI $35 million in settlement over the failed Health Connector website.
“This pay-off is an outrage. The website failed. The state had to abandon it and now we are paying the vendor $35 million more. Taxpayers should be appalled at the wasting of their money,” said Craig. “If this was good news the Governor would not have waited until Friday to announce it.”
Late Friday the administration announced the agreement to pay CGI a $35 million settlement over the botched Health Connector website. The Commonwealth had previously paid $17 million bringing the grand total to $52 million.
According to news reports Governor Patrick believes that this money will ensure an orderly end to CGI’s work.
“We should not be handing any more money over to CGI. The Governor has turned his back on the taxpayers. He should be demanding accountability and our money back,” said Craig. “Having worked to stop companies from defrauding its customers, to me this looks like a taxpayer rip-off.”
Since the law to force Massachusetts to comply with Obamacare passed, the Commonwealth’s website has gone from the best website for Romneycare to the worst in the nation. The Romneycare website only cost $3.5 million.
Now that the state has dumped CGI, Governor Patrick now wants to create a dual plan. The latest estimate is $121 million. Patrick invoked the emergency procurement law so there is no oversight of the hiring of the new firm. Optum got the no bid contract and they hired a subcontractor, hCentive, of which they own 25%.
Due to the website failure, 84,000 people are receiving free health insurance that will be covered by taxpayers until the site gets fixed.
On a different campaign matter, three weeks ago Craig called for an end to legislative per diems that pay for legislators’ commuting expenses. He challenged his opponents Marty Green and David Muradian to pledge not to take per diems and to work to end this legislative perk. Craig sent both candidates a pledge to sign if they agreed. Neither candidate has responded.
“I am disappointed that neither candidate has decided to join me in calling for an end of per diems. I don’t believe that legislators should get this special perk. They should have to pay to drive to work like the rest of us,” said Craig.
Legislators can claim a per diem for every day they go to the State House. The amounts vary from district depending on the distance representatives have to drive to the State House. It ranges from $10 per day to $90. Last year Senator Stan Rosenberg claimed the most in per diems. He accepted $12,840.
The Abolish Per Diem Pledge simply requests that if elected that person will refuse to take per diems and work to end the legislative perk.
UPTON DAILY 
I have read so many content concerning the blogger lovers
however this article is really a pleasant paragraph, keep it up.
That’s an inleltigent answer to a difficult question xxx