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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Justin,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Thank you for this. I took the survey, voicing my opinion as a resident, taxpayer, and consumer of both public transportation (especially rail) as well as roads by way of an occasional driver, taxis, and Uber (my personal opinion of which should be self-evident). I’ve always found NFB chapter and affiliate advocacy on the matter of public transportation interesting and, I might say, a bit of a fine line—so I want to approach recommending that our colleagues take this survey with care. First, though, I realize that you may very well have just meant that our colleagues should take this survey as a way of participating in the civic process in much the same way we as Federationists put tremendous effort into making voting accessible and encouraging ourselves to vote, be it as a Democrat, Republican, independent, Libertarian, Green (when I served as a chapter president in California for several years my dear colleague and first vice president was a passionate member of this last party…).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>The fine line that the NFB walks on advocating on public transportation can indeed be tricky. Of course we must demand it be accessible, that is, that fare vending machines provide nonvisual access such as through audio output, that bus drivers announce their route (at least at stops where more than one route may stop), that transit websites be usable by screen readers, etc. But to advocate for a light raile here, a bus route there, better maintenance of rail bridges (my wife and I have been the victims of problems with the infamous old Walk Bridge along Metro North in Norwalk), etc. begs the question “Is this really a blindness issue?”. I have read, for example, in my local newspaper (thank you Newsline, BESB, and the Blackford Foundation!) that a constitutional amendment to create a transportation lock box using specified tax dollars may be a matter of some debate; indeed, the question in the survey is worded in such a way as to potentially gain a particular response and seems to expose the author’s political opinion—and of course if I get to vote on it in November I certainly will demand that the Vote by Phone machine be ready and working early so I can vote however I ultimately decide and know that the NFB is fully behind that demand… I am reminded of a National Convention resolution many years ago advocating for more Amtrak funding that failed because the convention—I think correctly—thought it crossed this fine line (but be assured we demand Amtrak’s ap, website, and vending machines be accessible no matter how often or where the trains go). Now, what would we do if bus service to, say, BESB’s office was to be impacted… I realize that all of this may be theoretical at this point, though, but it’s always something I’ve viewed with great care as a Federationist though I am personally (and to some degree professionally) passionate about: from advocating on everything from bus routes to commuter and Amtrak train funding to whether Uber should be allowed to operate in New York City.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Very best,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Nathanael<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Ct-nfb [mailto:ct-nfb-bounces@nfbnet.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Justin Salisbury via Ct-nfb<br><b>Sent:</b> Sunday, January 31, 2016 2:06 AM<br><b>To:</b> 'ct-nfb@nfbnet.org'<br><b>Cc:</b> Justin Salisbury<br><b>Subject:</b> [Ct-nfb] Connecticut Transportation Survey<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Fellow Federationists:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>My local representative to the Connecticut General Assembly sent me this survey about new transportation proposals. It’s important for us to voice our opinions!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'>Take the <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=101745551&msgid=1151573&act=C227&c=373633&destination=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.surveymonkey.com%2Fr%2FRGJRWDQ">transportation survey by clicking here. </a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'>That survey includes a proposal for a new light rail system between Hartford and UConn’s Storrs campus. A light rail, for those who don’t know, is basically an above-ground subway. The survey also mentions buses and rail service.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'>Enjoy!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'>Justin Salisbury<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'>Legislative Coordinator<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'>NFB of Connecticut<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Justin Salisbury, NOMC, NCUEB<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Graduate Student<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Louisiana Tech University<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Email: <a href="mailto:President@Alumni.ECU.edu">President@Alumni.ECU.edu</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=325734822">https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=325734822</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Twitter: @SalisburyJustin<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>"None can be free as long as any are enslaved" <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dr. Kenneth Jernigan<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>