[nfbmi-talk] advocates to protest shake up mcb

[joe harcz Comcast]

Advocates to protest Snyder's shake-up of services for the blind | Detroit Free Press | freep.com

By

Paul Egan

 

Detroit Free Press Lansing Bureau

 

 

LANSING – Gov. Rick Snyder’s ordered shake-up of services for the blind violates federal rules and puts at risk nearly $15 million in federal rehabilitation

and training funds, say advocates who plan to demonstrate outside his office today.

 

Snyder’s plan, announced last week in an executive order, would move services for the blind out of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs and

split them between two other state departments. The Department of Human Services would be responsible for vocational rehabilitation services and the Department

of Technology, Management and Budget would be responsible for licensing blind vendors who operate in state buildings and highway rest areas.

 

But regulations to the federal Randolph-Sheppard Act related to licensing of blind vendors say only the state agency responsible for providing vocational

rehabilitation services can apply to be the state licensing agency for blind vendors.

 

Members of the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan and other advocacy groups plan a demonstration against the executive order at noon today outside

the Romney Building in Lansing, where Snyder’s offices are located. They also object to Snyder’s plan to disband the Michigan Commission for the Blind

and replace it with an advisory committee.

 

“This whole thing was ill-conceived,” said Fred Wurtzel, a spokesman for the federation. “They did not do their homework. There are a number of other items

that we believe will unravel fairly soon.”

 

Mario Morrow, a spokesman for the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, said today “we are currently researching and evaluating the concerns that

have been brought forth.”

 

Snyder said earlier the shake-up would promote efficiency and improve services, but advocates for the blind complain about a lack of consultation.

 

“Given the governor’s emphasis on open, transparent, and data-driven decisions in state government, we are astonished by the poorly-thought-out executive

order and the potential negative consequences it brings to blind people and the citizens of Michigan,” said Larry Posont, president of the National Federation

of the Blind of Michigan and a member of the Commission for the Blind.

 

About 40 blind vendors are licensed by the state of Michigan.

 

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or

pegan at freepress.com

 

Source:

http://www.freep.com/article/20120301/NEWS06/120301021/rick-snyder-services-for-blind