Recently, the Department of Corrections made the surprise announcement that it will close SCI-Cresson and move prisoners to a new prison in Centre County. The decision was made without consulting area legislators or local leaders, and without warning SCI-Cresson employees and their families.

For years, the doors of SCI Cresson were closed to keep prisoners in; now Gov. Corbett’s decision could close them permanently to keep our workers and good-paying jobs out.

This closing would be devastating to the employees of the prison, their families, area businesses, local governments and more. Hundreds of employees could lose their jobs or be forced to travel an hour or more to and from work in a new location; many families could be uprooted. Scores of businesses that support SCI-Cresson will lose income and could shrink or close entirely, costing hundreds of more jobs. And money that has already been invested – often at a cost to local taxpayers and governments - to improve facilities and operations at SCI-Cresson will have been wasted.

I am currently working with other area legislators to organize a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 31 at the Cresson Fire Hall in Cresson so that employees of SCI-Cresson and others in our communities get the say in this process that they deserve.

In the meantime, I invite you to SEND A MESSAGE to Governor Corbett urging him to reconsider the decision to close SCI-Cresson and to save valuable jobs and the economy in our region.

CLICK HERE TO TAKE ACTION!