[rehab] Governor Sacrifices the Blind for Short Term Politics

[The BlindTechs Network]

This is great news!

I was sicken when I heard the wasteful unnecessary spending that the  
department did and how they tried to justify it.

You want to mess around and play with the thousands of dollars I pay  
in taxes then you will be held accountable.

and what the or government needs now is support from the blind about  
getting rid of this department.

I'll be glad to let them know how successful community based servicess  
can be for the blind.
Gabe Vega
CEO

The BlindTechs Network
www.theblindtechsnetwork.com
info at theblindtechsnetwork.com
623-565-9357 (voice)
(206) 203-4400 (Fax Phone)








On May 17, 2009, at 5:20 PM, T. Joseph Carter (by way of David Andrews  
<dandrews at visi.com>) wrote:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Art Stevenson,
president National Federation of the Blind of Oregon
Tel: 503-585-4318
Email: president at nfb-oregon.org

Governor Sacrifices the Blind for Short Term Politics
May 16, 2009
Salem, Oregon
In a swift, one-two-three punch, Governor Ted Kulongoski proposes to  
eliminate services and support to Oregon’s blind whether they're  
born blind, become blind, or lose their vision late in life. The first  
punch was delivered by House Bill 2834, sponsored by Rep. Sarah Gelser  
(D-Corvallis), with support of the Governor.  The bill would close and  
sell off the Oregon School for the Blind to private land developers.   
Their argument is that the school’s services should be provided by  
local Educational Service Districts. The second punch came when the  
Oregon Senate Education Committee reorganized the Educational Service  
Districts, reducing the number from 22 to 13.  These agencies employ  
itinerant teachers whose case loads are already so large that they  
spend nearly as much time driving between schools as they do teaching  
students. The final blow was delivered Friday, May 15th, when Governor  
Kulongoski proposed total abolition of the Oregon Commission for the  
Blind, which currently provides job training and rehabilitation to  
blind adults and seniors.  In his attempt to cover up his own lack of  
oversight of administrative misjudgments by his appointees who run the  
Commission, the Governor sacrifices the quality of life and future  
potential of the blind of Oregon. Without a competitive education and  
training in the skills of blindness, Oregon's blind face the kind of  
life they lived in the 19th century.  "It's like they want us out  
there with tin cups and pencils, begging for money," said Art  
Stevenson, president of the Oregon Federation. Oregon’s blind face  
an approximate 70% unemployment rate.  Under the current plan to  
reduce services and education, that number is likely to increase.  The  
result will be greater dependence on welfare and social security by  
people who want nothing more than a chance to work and live a normal  
life.
###


_______________________________________________
rehab mailing list
rehab at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/rehab_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for  
rehab:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/rehab_nfbnet.org/info%40theblindtechsnetwork.com