NEW: Fung Responds to Obamacare Diagnosis as “Job Killer"

NEW: Fung Responds to Obamacare Diagnosis as “Job Killer"

Cranston Mayor and Republican gubernatorial candidate Allan Fung today responded to the Congressional Budget Office’s analysis of the Affordable Care Act and projected job losses as a result of the health care program, referring to Obamacare as a "job killer."

A release from the Fung campaign said that "once elected he will work with the state legislature and health care providers to reduce its detrimental impact on small business and working class families."

"Like many others I have been fearful of the economic impact on small business and working families, and the Congressional Budget Office has now validated our concern about job losses and reductions of hours as a result of the Obamacare mandates,” said Fung. “The nonpartisan report issued by the CBO projects that the health care law will shrink the national workforce at the equivalent of 2.5 million fewer full-time jobs by 2024. This is unacceptable."

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Based upon state-by-state percentages of overall jobs calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans for Tax Reform projects the loss of 8,529 Rhode Island jobs.

"We already have the highest unemployment in the United States and we simply cannot afford to lose any more jobs in this state," continued Fung. "How are struggling Rhode Island families going to be able to afford these premiums, especially when their jobs are potentially on the line?”

“We have an exchange website, call center, and staff that cost more than $99 million,” stated Fung, “but Rhode Island taxpayers should not be left on the hook to pay for the $23.4 million annual expense to maintain the exchange. Unlike each of my opponents in the race for Governor of Rhode Island, I have consistently opposed Obamacare’s extremely high cost, in both dollars and jobs. As Governor, I will remain steadfast in supporting a more efficient and effective health care system, including working across state lines to increase competition and drive down the price of healthcare,” concluded Fung.