[nfbmi-talk] Fwd: The Gazette: Iowa blind lobby seeks additional funding for services

[Larry Posont]

from >> Pare, John
>> Sent: Monday, April 29, 2013 8:40 AM
>> Subject: The Gazette: Iowa blind lobby
>> seeks additional funding for services
>>
>>
>>
>> Michael:
>>
>> I meant to send this to the list last week.  Great job and great quotes.
>>
>> John
>>
>> Updated: 24 April
>>
>>
>> Iowa blind lobby seeks additional funding for services
>>
>>
>> Officials raise layoff, budget cut concerns
>>
>>
>> It's just a "small drop in the bucket," but an additional $500,000
>> appropriation for the Department for the Blind is a major concern for
>> sight-impaired Iowans.
>>
>> Michael Barber, president of the national Federation of the Blind of
>> Iowa,
>> is lobbying Iowa lawmakers to include the additional half-million dollars
>> in
>> <http://coolice.legis.iowa.gov/Cool-ICE/default.asp?Category=billinfo&Servic
>> e=Billbook&menu=false&ga=85&hbill=HF604> House File 604, a $964 million
>> appropriations bill that funds the College Student Aid Commission,
>> Department of Education, Board of Regents and the Department for the
>> Blind
>> and 12,292.6 FTEs.
>>
>>
>>
>> Barber was at the conference committee meeting Wednesday to lobby for the
>> Senate version of the bill that would appropriate $2.24 million and fund
>> 88
>> FTEs at the Department for the Blind.
>>
>> The governor's recommendation for a $200,000 increase from the current
>> $1.74
>> million budget isn't enough to sustain programs and services to the
>> blind,
>> Barber said.
>>
>> In recent years, the department has received level-funded budgets that
>> have
>> resulted in the layoffs of four full-time and two part-time staff
>> members.
>>
>> In addition, he noted that while budgets have remained constant, costs
>> have
>> risen.
>>
>> "I'm fearful of more layoffs," he said.
>>
>> That would lead to possible service delays to blind Iowans who get help
>> with
>> living independently, orientation and adjustment assistance, help finding
>> jobs and starting businesses.
>>
>> According to Barber, about 10,000 of the 69,000 sight-impaired Iowans
>> receive services from the department.
>>
>> "It's high time Iowa step up to the plate and recognize that programs for
>> blind are an investment," Barber said. "People who get services become
>> employed, taxpaying citizens and that gives them joy and pride to be able
>> to
>> feed their families and upright pillars of community like sighted
>> people."
>>
>> Finding the additional $500,000 "should be an easy compromise," Rep.
>> Daniel
>> Lundby, D-Marion, said. He's been pushing for funding, specifically for
>> Iowans with macular degeneration. It's a disease associated with aging
>> that
>> gradually destroys sharp, central vision. It's a leading cause of vision
>> loss and legal blindness in adults over 60
>>
>> HF 604 calls for an overall increase in education appropriations of
>> $103.1
>> million and an increase of 15.9 FTEs.
>>
>> The conference committee elected co-chairmen - Sen. Brian Schoenjahn,
>> D-Arlington, and Rep. Cecil Dolecheck, R-Mount Ayr. Another meeting will
>> be
>> scheduled.