[NFBMT] Newsline funding

[James Aldrich]

Hi all,


I think we would do well to follow the leadership of Jim Marks our affiliate President.  I say this in a very positive way.  I believe Jim has the goods on the present committee.  I’ll simply say he understands what is going on!  Have heart!  I believe a brighter future is in store for newsline!  We could loose it for a time but it will be back!  We certainly are not against the TDD program!  This is a vital service for the deaf which needs to be revisited in view of our fast changing technology.

This is what happened in a nut shell.  As you probably know, we are assessed ten cents on our telephone tax to pay for the TDD program.  That’s fine and good!  As you also know legislators are always looking for money which has not been spent which could be put to use in other state government programs.  Needless to say, the TDD program had allot of money left on the table as Jim would say and a good million or two was taken away from their program.  I probably stated it conservatively.  What they left on the table would have easily paid for newsline.  I’m certain newsline could have been paid for easily under their reduced funding.  They covet their money.  They say our program isn’t in harmony with their goals and what they want to do for their program.  They fear more loss and we add  to the money they wouldn’t be able to spend for their program thus we were voted down.

Well, we pay our ten cents on our telephone tax since we are assessed the tax with everyone.  Committee chair Ron challenged us to go to the legislature to get our money for Newsline.  I don’t recall his last name.  I think he feels we got our money in an underhanded way so he insisted we go through the legislature.  I’m certain this was not so.  We were asked how newsline was funded in the past. Chairman Ron asked why the hard of hearing program couldn’t fund newsline.  Doesn’t that sound familiar?

There is no reason why TDD and Newsline can’t  co exist together under the same funding.  That money would serve more people and  numbers matter!  Let’s take up chairman Ron’s challenge and go to the legislature and do what we do best.  Perhaps we can create a telephone services committee where both newsline and TDD are both included.  Perhaps one or more of us could be on the committee.  A fully sighted person stepped down from being the chair.  Chairman Ron is deaf.  Some think he’s been there too long.  Perhaps a ceiling could be put on what is collected. Perhaps a way might be found to protect the phone services money from hungry legislators.  Perhaps we need to consult members of the other twelve states which use telephone tax money.  Scott White made some conssessions to help with the funding and we were voted down just the same.

Let’s give chairman Ron his wish!  Let’s go to work!

Jim

Sent from my iPhone

On May 27, 2019, at 1:20 PM, d m gina via NFBMT <nfbmt at nfbnet.org> wrote:

Yes I thought the same thing, that they knew rite away when the folks came to speak on behalf of news line they were not going to sponser it.
To bad we can't link with another state still getting the information for Montana.


Original message:
> I'm shocked and saddened to read of the decision to stop the current funding
> of Newsline.
> Thanks to all who made the valiant efforts to plead the case for its
> continuing.
> I am going to just guess they had made up their minds in spite of the good
> reasoning stating the value for all concerned in the presentations.

> Might be that we can be successful with another try later, and or get a
> different funding source.

> It will be a great loss to lose this service for Montana.

> Rik



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every saint has a past
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