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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Bob:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>That is a wonderfully written letter arguing against consolidation of IDB into a larger agency to “save money.” I like its inclusion of the (mostly) illustrious history of the agency in serving the needs of blind Iowans and the need to preserve that.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>However, this year’s biggest issue is the potential loss of independence of the director. That is not addressed in any direct way in your letter, and I fear that supporters of SSB1123/HSB126 may think that, since IDB would remain a free-standing agency, putting the director at the beck and call of the governor is not a very big deal. Far from that!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks for all your work on this legislation. It is very important.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jonathan Ice<o:p></o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal'><b>From:</b> Tall-Corn <tall-corn-bounces@nfbnet.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Bob Ray via Tall-Corn<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, March 3, 2023 10:15 AM<br><b>To:</b> tall-corn@nfbnet.org; 'Des Moines Chapter List, NFB of Iowa' <dsm-iowa@nfbnet.org><br><b>Cc:</b> bray@nfbi.org<br><b>Subject:</b> [Tall-Corn] FW: Section XIII SSB 1123 and HSB 126<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Below is the cover letter that we sent to both houses of the Iowa Legislature. We have the easy part of this campaign behind us and now the work begins. This letter is of course one more tool to use in planning your contact with a legislator.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Bob <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal'><b>From:</b> <a href="mailto:bray@nfbi.org">bray@nfbi.org</a> <<a href="mailto:bray@nfbi.org">bray@nfbi.org</a>> <br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, March 1, 2023 9:17 PM<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:rjray@q.com">rjray@q.com</a><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: Section XIII SSB 1123 and HSB 126<br><b>Importance:</b> High<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><a name="_Hlk128403032">Re: Section XIII SSB 1123 and HSB 126<o:p></o:p></a></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN>I am writing to you in my capacity as Legislative Chair for the National Federation Of The Blind Of Iowa, (NFBI). We are the oldest and largest organization of the blind in Iowa. We are blind Iowans and our friends. We have worked with you on various pieces of legislation over the years. This time our concern is reorganization bills that both houses are currently considering. We have a few thoughts for you on the importance of removing section XIII from this bill. Also, attached to this is a copy of a letter showing the general position of the National Federation Of The Blind Of Iowa on this bill.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN>First I would like to relate to you some history about programs for the blind in Iowa. The programs at the Iowa Commission For The Blind started to change in 1958 when a blind person was hired as director of the Commission for the Blind. He was a man who was confident that the average blind person could do the average job in the average place of business, doing it as well as his sighted neighbor, if offered the proper training. Within the next year, new programs were started, creating new opportunities for blind persons in Iowa. In 1960 the blind of Iowa came to the Iowa Legislature and asked for the funding to purchase a building to house the services of the Iowa Commission For The Blind and for funding to open a regional library for the blind, a branch of the National Library Service for the Blind. in that building. This library grew to be the largest library for the blind in the World in less than five years. By the late sixties it produced more Braille Books annually than all of the other libraries for the blind in the country combined. It is still today recognized as one of the best libraries for the blind in the nation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN>Over the years as the programs at the Iowa Commission For The Blind, and later the Iowa Department For the Blind needed funding for the programs, or special funding to remodel the building that housed these programs, the blind of Iowa came back to the Iowa Legislature and worked with legislators to find the resources to accomplish what was needed. In the 1980s a reorganization of State Government placed the Iowa Commission For The Blind under an umbrella agency which was supposed to lower operating costs. The blind of Iowa worked with Legislators to pull the agency for the blind back out of a larger department so that programs could continue to achieve success. While it was still legal to do so the blind of Iowa invited Legislators to dinners and/or information fairs to show blind persons living the lives they want. This has all been part of a very successful partnership between the blind of Iowa and the Iowa Legislature. We have also worked with the Legislature to change laws that improve the lives of blind Iowans and make it possible for us to be first classed citizens of Iowa. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN>All of the states that have had successful programs for the blind are states that the agency for the blind is a separate, independent agency that can go directly to the Governor and Legislature to ask for the needs of the agency and be able to operate in such a way that the blind citizens may get the services they want and need, not those that some one thinks they may need.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN>The programs at the Iowa Department For The Blind are successful not only because of subjects they teach but the attitudes that they instill in their clients. The true problem of blindness is not the physical loss of sight but rather the public attitudes about it. A newly blinded person has these negative attitudes about blindness because they are part of the public. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN>. One of the reasons for going through this major reorganization effort is to save tax dollars. In looking at this there are two views. First the short term view is that cutting program costs saves tax dollars. The second and more important one is if blind citizens of Iowa are not given the proper training and helped to develop good attitudes about blindness they are less likely to go out and get jobs and pay more taxes into the system.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN>We have enjoyed a great deal of success from the programs for the blind here in Iowa because of the partnerships that we have had, and still have with the Iowa Legislature. We hope that you will take a close look at what is being proposed and help prevent programs for the blind in Iowa from going backward and not forward.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN>If we can answer any questions for you or find information that may help you understand our position feel free to contact us at any time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN>R. J. (Bob) Ray<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN>Legislative Committee Chair<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN>National Federation Of The Blind Of Iowa<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN>email: </span></span><a href="mailto:bray@NFBI.org"><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN>bray@NFBI.org</span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'></span></a><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN>phone: 515 334-7231<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN>Address:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN>3900 76th Street<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk128403032'><span lang=EN>Urbandale, IA 50322</span></span><span lang=EN><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>