[nfbmi-talk] FW: [Vendorsmi] Oh Where, Oh Where Are The Blind Vendors? Work-To-Welfare? Did the blind not see it coming?

Mon Jul 29 17:32:03 UTC 2013

National Federation of the Blind of Michigan
20812 Ann Arbor Trail
Dearborn Heights, MI 48127

July 29, 2013

Dear Michigan Federationists:

     I do not respond very often on the list, but I observe closely as
others post to see where they they would like the organization to help
change what it is to be blind in Michigan. Terry Eagle is so accurate
here as he voices his concerns about the current Governor's
Administration and BSBP slowly dismantling the Vending Program. It
will be taken apart a little at a time with small rest areas at first
in northern Michigan and then progress to more lucrative
establishments around the state. Indeed, it already has begun since
there has been such a battle over placing a qualified blind person at
the State Plate.Both the former  Administration and the current
Administration have failed blind people. There is a work to welfare
mind set among the Administration and BSBP. The current Director
believes that blind individuals can be controled especially if they
are welfare recipients. This shows why it is vital for staff training
to occur so that blind people can have proper rehabilitation in order
to become earners of pay checks rather than welfare recipients. The
National Federation of the Blind of Michigan will never stop working
toward this vitally crucial goal.

Sincerely,
Larry Posont
President
 National Federation of the Blind of Michigan
 (313) 271-3058
 Email: president.nfb.mi at gmail.com
 Web page: www.nfbmi.org

 Vehicle Donations Take the Blind Further Donate your car to the
National Federation of the Blind today!
 For more information, please visit:
www.carshelpingtheblind.org
 or call 1-855-659-9314

On 7/27/13, Fred Wurtzel <f.wurtzel at att.net> wrote:
> Hello Paul,
>
>
>
> Well, aren't our predictions coming true?  The Bureau is continuing its
> downward slide. Now our slogan "we want jobs; not welfare," is coming true.
> At the same time the Bureau has added a sighted administrator under the
> director bringing down 100k.
>
>
>
> I don't know if anyone in state government will ever take notice, but the
> Snyder administration has accelerated the disintegration of services to
> blind people.  It is almost impossible in some places to even get anyone to
> call back or if they do, to provide legally provided services.
>
>
>
> My phone number is 517-256-5575.  I don't necessarily have anything to work
> on, I just wanted to give you a heads-up on what has happened since the
> executive order.
>
>
>
> Thanks.
>
>
>
> Cordially,
>
>
>
> Fred
>
>
>
> From: Vendorsmi [mailto:vendorsmi-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Terry D.
> Eagle
> Sent: Saturday, July 27, 2013 4:47 AM
> To: 'NFB of Michigan Vendors List'
> Subject: [Vendorsmi] Oh Where, Oh Where Are The Blind Vendors?
> Work-To-Welfare? Did the blind not see it coming?
>
>
>
> On Thursday the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) joined
> Governor
> Snyder, the Office of Public-Private Partnerships, the Legislature, LARA,
> BS4BP, Mr. Rodgers, BEP, and the EOC, in support of the Snyder
> Administration's initiative WORK-TO-WELFARE for the blind of Michigan.  As
> if it were not bad enough to take away employment from a qualified blind
> person at the Anderson House of Representatives office building, the
> Capitol, and the Port Huron Vending Facility, the administration is
> targeting Michigan's rest areas for a public-private partnership, for the
> development and construction of restaurants at the rest areas.  The
> administration's idea is to cut cost and raise revenue for the state.  Just
> as the cut of the Michigan Business Tax was done on the back of Michigan
> retirees with the new pension income tax, this public-private business
> partnership  will no doubt result on the back of blind vendors, ultimately
> costing 22 rest area blind vendors their livelihood, and likely the
> remaining 56 blind snack bar and cafeteria vendors their livelihood, moving
> them from WORK-TO-WELFARE.
>
>
>
>
>
> Michigan rest stops could get restaurants as state considers public-private
> partnerships
>
>
>
> LANSING -- The Michigan Department of Transportation is seeking interest
> from private companies who may want to improve the Houghton Lake rest area,
> potentially adding a restaurant.
>
>
>
> A pair of rest stops in northern Michigan could be revamped to include fast
> food restaurants or coffee shops as the state considers relying more
> heavily
> on the private sector to manage public infrastructure projects.
>
> The Michigan Department of Transportation hopes to find private businesses
> to improve rest areas near Houghton and Higgins lakes on U.S. 127 in
> Roscommon County. The deteriorating facilities could be salvaged through an
> arrangement where a business -- perhaps a food or beverage vendor -- would
> take over operation and maintenance of the facilities.
>
>
>
> None of Michigan's 81 rest areas have restaurants like those in Ohio and
> Illinois toll plazas. Recent federal legislation gives states more
> flexibility to manage and fund rest areas along certain routes.
>
> MDOT is not looking to privatize freeways into toll roads, but it is poised
> to delve into public-private partnerships -- or P3s -- to improve highway
> rest stops, replace freeway lighting and bridges, and provide timber
> management along highways.
>
> "It just is a new business model that we think is worth including in how we
> go about our business," said Joe Pavona, Gov. Rick Snyder's special advisor
> for public-private partnerships.
>
>
>
> MDOT on Thursday requested letters of interest from businesses to gauge
> appetite for several proposed projects. (
>
>
>
> "This is an information-gathering stage, the first step to starting a
> conversation about what's possible in financing and building
> infrastructure," Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle said in a
> statement.
>
>
>
> Traditionally, the state has hired private contractors to design and
> construct public infrastructure projects. They pay the contractors along
> the
> way with available funds or by issuing bonds.
>
>
>
> P3s rely on private businesses to finance, maintain and potentially operate
> the facilities. Officials said it's not considered full-blown privatization
> since the state would maintain ownership of the bridges, rest stops and
> other assets. The state would repay investors over time. Revenue -- from a
> rest stop restaurant, for example -- would offset that debt.  "When the P3
> model is used correctly, they're better, faster and cheaper," Pavona said.
>
> And letting private investors handle the up-front financing would allow the
> state to leverage its available money on other projects, he said.  P3s have
> been used in other countries and U.S. states, but not to this degree by
> MDOT. The planned DetroitWindsor bridge would be a P3 in conjunction with
> Canada.
>
>
>
> While some investors and planners hail P3s as innovative solutions for
> states or financially struggling municipalities like Detroit, the
> arrangements can be controversial. Critics say such projects can hurt
> taxpayers. They point to problems that have arisen under Chicago's parking
> meter system run by a private company, or a San Diego toll road that went
> bankrupt.
>
>
>
> PROPOSED PROJECTS:
>
> Rest areas: Higgins Lake and Houghton Lake facilities along US-127 in
> Roscommon County.
>
>
>
> Rest Areas
>
> Why were these two specific rest areas chosen?
>
> The new federal highway authorization bill, MAP-21, gives states greater
> flexibility
>
> to use
>
> innovative techniques to manage and fund rest areas that are located along
> the interstate
>
> highway
>
> system. These two rest areas already had been identified as locations
> requiring additional
>
> review
>
> by MDOT due to their proximity to other rest areas, low usage and poor
> condition.
>
> What type of usage does the department expect a private entity to propose?
>
> MDOT is looking to start a conversation with private industry to determine
> if alternate
>
> uses are
>
> available for these rest areas that would benefit both the traveling public
> and MDOT.
>
> No specific
>
> types of usage are being targeted.
>
> What types of services will be provided at these rest areas?
>
> That's unknown and is one of the objectives of the requests for letters of
> interest.
>
> It's anticipated,
>
> however, that any P3 project would provide enhanced facilities and services
> to the
>
> public beyond
>
> what's currently available.
>
> What will happen if no private entities express interest in the rest areas?
>
> If there's no interest expressed in managing or operating the rest areas,
> MDOT intends
>
> to
>
> permanently close the Higgins Lake rest area on southbound US-127 later
> this
> year.
>
> The
>
> Houghton Lake rest area on northbound US-127 will remain open; however,
> MDOT
> will
>
> continue to monitor its usage, condition, and operational and capital costs
> to determine
>
> long-term
>
> plans for the facility. Prior to making these decisions, though, it's
> important for
>
> MDOT to
>
> examine opportunities for alternate uses of the existing rest areas.
>
> Would MDOT consider expanding this opportunity to other rest areas?
>
> Where allowed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and based on
> the
> interest
>
> and
>
> results from these pilot projects, MDOT would examine the use of its other
> rest areas.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>