[NFBMT] Thanks for your comments

Fri Oct 13 15:26:04 UTC 2017

Hi Jim,
That would be great having a fact sheet.  I can give my opinion & story to the legislators  but it would help to have facts & numbers to back this up.  Thanks for being willing to put this together.
Denise

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBMT [mailto:nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jim Marks via NFBMT
Sent: Friday, October 13, 2017 9:09 AM
To: 'NFB of Montana Discussion List'
Cc: Jim Marks
Subject: Re: [NFBMT] Thanks for your comments

Right now, our services are at risk due to the prevailing philosophy that smaller government is the best government.  We all want government to show restraint, but the trouble with this unchecked philosophy is that it ignores those who receive government services.  This is not a partisan issue, that is, not a Republican or Democrat sort of thing.  The real struggle in state public policies is being fought within the dominant party, Republicans.  Republicans are divided by moderate and conservative factions.  The budget crisis is a manufactured problem because conservatives are driving their ideology irrespective of the consequences of their ideals, consequences that limit or deny services to those of us who rely on government services to make our way in this world.  For example, Montana is not in economic hard times, yet the Legislature engineered the state budget to be vastly smaller than it needs to be to maintain services.  Notice I didn't say the budget is smaller.  It grows to keep up with demands.  However, the growth is not a matter of adding new services.  We are talking about growth due to the increasing costs of the services we now enjoy.  Therefore, what we have is a debate over how much government should grow to keep up with demands.  All government budgets are plans to achieve our collective priorities.  Government budgets do not define what's possible; Our reasonable and necessary priorities drive what's possible.  Of course, this means we need our state leaders to look at both parts of a budget, which means increasing revenues as well as decreasing expenses.  Our big problem right now is that they are only cutting, and one cannot cut to build a fair and balanced set of services.  Don't you believe for a hot second that the state can cut the bureaucracy only.  We are talking about major roll-backs in everyday services.  The way out of our current crisis is for Montana to again find its center.  The pendulum of public policy swings slowly, though.  We may be facing a future with reduced services for some time to come.  I do not think the strategies of the NFB-MT should ever ever dip into partisan politics.  We need all our elected officials to understand and to act on our priorities.  Thus, I think we have to relentlessly advocate for ourselves and others like us.  The Governor has no rabbits to pull out of the hat.  Nor do we.  Please don't get too bummed by all this.  We've seen hard times before, and we will see them again.  Our job is to keep up the pressure.  We also have to develop relationships with our elected officials, each and every one of them.  So, contact your local state legislators and ask them not to cut services for the blind.  We also have to keep up pressure on the executive branch with entities such as the Department of Public Health and Human Services and its programs such as Blind and Low Vision Services.  Same goes for education.  On the chopping block now are many blind adult and blind children's services.  Perhaps we should put together a fact sheet to distribute to our members so that we can refer to talking points when reaching out.  For sure, we cannot rely on others to speak for us.  We have to speak for ourselves.

If you folks agree, I'll put together a draft fact sheet for the NFB-MT.  Then we could get busy with phone calls and writing campaigns to try to influence state public policies.

Jim Marks
Blind.grizzly at gmail.com
(406) 438-1421

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBMT [mailto:nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of d m gina via NFBMT
Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2017 9:19 PM
To: nfbmt at nfbnet.org
Cc: d m gina <dmgina at mysero.net>
Subject: Re: [NFBMT] Thanks for your comments

So what is the bottom line of this chatter.
It seems to me that more cuts are happening each year.
All blaming each other, while the cut happens.
How as federationists can we get them back on track.
Who can we work with to get this to happen.
I thought this was well written, and glad he responded so quickly.
Thanks for sharing.

Original message:
> This is the response I received from Governor Bullock after I sent him 
> the Resolution below.

> Resolution 2017-05

> Regarding the Availability and Autonomy of Vocational and 
> Rehabilitation Services for the Blind of Montana

> WHEREAS

> Blind Montanans want to work and live independent, self-sufficient 
> lives like their fellow citizens, and

> WHEREAS

> The blind require effective training in a discrete and specialized 
> skill set in order to be successfully employed and integrated into the 
> economic fabric of the nation, and vocational rehabilitation programs 
> are the only game in town for providing such services; and

> WHEREAS

> Professional training in the nonvisual strategies and adaptive 
> technology necessary for successful blind rehabilitation and the 
> belief in the capacity of the blind are necessary requirements for 
> Vocational Rehabilitation counselors, their supervisors, and the 
> management of any agency charged with serving the blind, and

> WHEREAS

> Recognizing this, the Montana Legislature in 1979 established  a 
> separate, dedicated division of Montana's Department of Public Health 
> and Human Services, (DPHHS), now known as the Montana Vocational 
> Rehabilitation and Blind Services  (VRBS), in order to provide the 
> discrete and specialized vocational rehabilitation services necessary 
> to ensure that blind Montanans can enter or re-enter the work force on 
> a competitive basis; and

> WHEREAS

> Many blind Montanans can and have achieved independence with these 
> services from VRBS, and

> WHEREAS

> The present state budget crisis and proposed cuts to services will be 
> devastating to Montanans with disabilities and pose a serious threat 
> to the necessary discrete and specialized services that blind 
> Montanans rely on to achieve economic self-sufficiency: NOW, 
> THEREFORE,

> BE IT RESOLVED By the National Federation of the Blind of Montana in 
> convention assembled on this Twenty-third Day of September, 2017, in 
> the city of Bozeman, Montana, that this organization call on Governor 
> Steve Bullock and the Montana Legislature to convene a special session 
> to address the budget crisis, and to ensure that VRBS remains a 
> distinct and dedicated division of state government in order to 
> provide the discrete and specialized services necessary for the blind 
> to achieve independence and self-sufficiency in accordance with 
> current Montana law.;

> From: Governor Bullock [mailto:governor at mt.gov]
> Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2017 5:26 PM
> To: Joy Breslauer <breslauerj at gmail.com>
> Subject: Thanks for your comments

> Dear Joy:

> Thank you for contacting me about the proposed 10% reductions to the 
> Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) and all 
> state agencies.

> I agree that funding for these services is critically important to 
> ensure that folks who may be vulnerable and are in need of our 
> support, are able to thrive and share in the health and prosperity 
> with all Montanans. The proposed reductions are not my preferred path 
> but they represent the only legal option available to me if the 
> Legislature will not consider more responsible solutions to balance 
> our budget. I am actively reaching out to legislators of both parties 
> and advocacy groups to find a better path forward.

> It is important to know that Montana's economy is doing very well. We 
> have record low unemployment, we have the fourth highest wage growth 
> in the country, new businesses and industries are growing and 
> expanding every day, and we lead the nation in manufacturing growth.

> While our economy continues to expand and diversify, commodity prices 
> and the revenues they bring are not as high as they were in recent 
> years. These unforeseen circumstances are exactly why I insisted in 
> the previous legislative sessions that we set aside a healthy rainy 
> day fund. While other states went into the red these past few years, 
> Montana stayed in the black by making spending reductions and 
> utilizing our rainy day fund.

> At the beginning of the Session, I made clear to the Legislature the 
> budget challenges we faced and asked them to work with me to craft a 
> responsible budget. I proposed a balanced budget that rebuilt our 
> rainy day fund back to $300 million, invested in essential services, 
> and made responsible cuts to state government. However, the 
> Legislature rejected this budget.

> Revenues are not coming in as the Legislature projected and, combined 
> with the most expensive fire season in our state’s history, I am now 
> required by law to balance the state budget. I cannot increase revenue 
> without legislative approval, so in preparation I have asked all 
> Montana agencies for their proposed cuts of up to 10% for me to review.

> I did not get into public service to hurt Montanans. But that is what 
> many of these cuts may do. I am asking the legislature to work with me 
> to fix this, and I remain hopeful they will be a willing partner.

> I encourage you to reach out to your locally elected legislators with 
> your concerns and ideas. Please ask them to come to the table with me 
> and make responsible decisions. You can find your legislator’s full 
> contact information on the Montana Legislature’s website 
> <http://leg.mt.gov/css/About-the-Legislature/Legislative-Districts/def
> ault.asp>
> HERE.

> Thanks again for contacting me and I will continue to listen to the 
> Medicaid providers, doctors, advocates, and patients as we work 
> together to keep this state moving forward.

> Sincerely,

> STEVE BULLOCK
> Governor

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every saint has a past
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