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He announced that directsupport professionals working in state-operated homes will receive a $4,000 annual increase. That further exacerbates the parity issue and does not help direct-support professionals who work for voluntary providers. Plus, direct-support professionals working in state-operated homes have benefit packages that are far more financially substantive. Consequently, the struggle voluntary agencies have to recruit and retain quality staff has only intensified.

We hope Mannion’s efforts will prevail, and the parity issue will be addressed. The result will be that voluntary agencies will finally be able to pay our direct-support professionals, who are indispensable in the lives of our loved ones like my son Jonathan, a realistic, fair and living wage.

Dr. Lawrence Fein the voting rights of all other Republicans, Democrats and others with their votes to cancel the Electoral College election of President Joe Biden. That vote alone is proof the Republican Party of former President Donald Trump is attempting to create a dictatorship by canceling the entire federal election for president.

The Trump Republican Party is practicing the marketing tactics of fascists and communists by repeating lies so frequently they attempt to create a false truth out of a repetitive lie. They do not represent the extraordinary democratic history of upstate and the effort of our ancestors in helping to create the United States. Real Republicans need to vote them out of office.

Michael V. Franchell