[NFBMT] Montana NFB Newsline In Trouble

[sheila.leigland at gmail.com]

this is not good news and I think that consistent funding is going to 
become more difficult to find.I can't imagine how blind and low vision 
can afford to fund newsline.

On 5/23/2019 7:29 PM, president--- via NFBMT wrote:
> The Governor's Committee on Telecommunications Access by People with
> Disabilities decided not to continue funding for NFB Newsline today.  Jim
> Aldrich, Scott White, and I presented to the Committee about the benefits of
> NFB Newsline.  Despite our best efforts, most Committee members felt their
> program should no longer support NFB Newsline.  Some Committee members are
> upset that the 2019 Legislature transferred $3.5 million from funds
> earmarked for telephone access by Montanans with disabilities to other
> purposes.  Other Committee members feel that NFB Newsline is not directly
> related to the mission of their program.
>
> It's unclear what will happen next.  We may be able to get the Committee to
> take another vote, and we may be able to get Vocational Rehabilitation and
> Blind Services to fund NFB Newsline.  The Committee can afford to pay for
> NFB Newsline with its appropriations, and NFB Newsline fits the Committee's
> mission.  Vocational Rehabilitation and Blind Services remains in desperate
> fiscal problems.  Please stay tuned for more information on what the
> National Federation of the Blind of Montana will do next to save NFB
> Newsline in Montana.
>
> Questions and ideas are most welcome!
>
> Jim Marks
> President, National Federation of the Blind of Montana
> president at nfbofmt.org
> (406) 438-1421
>
>
>
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