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BLIND PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON STATE WANT TO HELP PAY YOUR TAXES
Just 5 minutes of your time can help save Services for the Blind |
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· Write to your senators · Write to your representatives · Flood the office of the Governor with letters · Write an opinion article and send it to your newspaper (or better yet, send it to several Washington newspapers). · Call talk radio shows and get the word out.
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WHY? |
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Because... |
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Governor Gregoire is considering destroying one of the most effective and efficiently-run state agencies in Washington. The Department of Services for the Blind (which is ranked among the top three blind rehabilitation agencies in the entire nation) is about to be combined into an ineffective government bureaucracy under the umbrella of the Department of Social and Health Services. Not only will Chris Gregoire's poor decision negatively affect blind people by severely cutting the amount and quality of services, THIS DECISION WILL ALSO CUT DEEPLY INTO YOUR OWN POCKETS. |
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HOW WILL COMBINING AGENCIES COST TAXPAYERS MORE MONEY? |
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Historically, states that lump the highly specialized training needs of blind rehabilitation together with other vocational rehabilitation agencies have poorer outcomes, extremely unhappy customers, and they waste gobs of state money and resources through poor management and big bureaucracy.
The Department of Services for the Blind (DSB) has been successfully creating taxpayers out of social security and welfare recipients for many years. For every dollar spent on DSB employment services $6.31 in NEW state and federal tax revenue is generated by DSB customers who became successfully employed.
That's over 600% return on investment of your tax dollars!
In addition to DSB's successful vocational rehabilitation program for the blind, their independent living program for older blind (an already extremely low-budget state service which Gregoire is planning to hatchet by an additional $100,000) assisted 976 older blind Washingtonians to remain independent in their homes.
Washington State has one of the top blind rehabilitation programs in the nation. Please don't let our governor destroy the successful DSB programs. Write to her using the easy E-mail link on the left of your screen.
To write to members of congress and the senate, just click on the “Find your legislator” link, type in your address and up pops your representatives. Then click on their Email tabs and send them a very short, and to-the-point letter (or copy and paste the letter provided on this website filling in the name of the person to whom you are writing).
· Write to your congressional representatives. · Write to your senators. · Write an opinion column for your newspaper.
According to the Workforce Board 2008 report, four years after exiting the blind rehabilitation program, DSB customers earned $5.58 more per hour than those who did not go into an individual employment plan. Blind people who are/were DSB customers will gain over $77,400 in net earnings over their lifetime plus benefits. DSB customers will pay taxes on that $77,400 to support our community, whereas blind people without training and opportunity will be recipients of government financial aid. Approximately 74% of all blind adults are unemployed nationwide. The blind rehabilitation services provided by DSB have significantly slashed that statistic in Washington State. But politicians don’t listen to facts. They will, however, listen to YOU! Won’t you please contact them.
Allowing this agency to be swallowed up and run by inexperienced management who have zero knowledge about blindness, and the training necessary to help blind people achieve gainful employment, will hurt blind people and it will ultimately hurt your pocketbook.
Please help save DSB!
Website for Washington State Department of Services
deScribe It! Research and Copywriting Services © 2009 Joanne Laurent All Rights Reserved
This page of the deScribe It! website is dedicated to a cause I strongly support. The red home key above will direct you to the main web pages and navigation tabs of my freelance writing website. My other website, about blindness, can be found at Highest Expectations Travel and Adaptive Skills Instruction for the
Thank you for taking the time to help blind people learn non-visual methods of performing tasks in a sighted world by contacting your legislators. |
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Please Help Save Quality Services for the Blind |
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Ask your friends & neighbors to write too! |
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It’s Fast, Easy, and FREE! |
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Blind people learn living skills, travel skills, and employment skills because of the services provided by DSB. |
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Saving Department of Services for the Blind will save YOU money! |
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Governor Gregoire needs to hear your opinion! |
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Look how easy it is to help! |
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Click on this link to send help effortlessly. Easy links to your legislators, the governor, and newspapers. There’s even a cut-and-paste letter if you don’t want to write one yourself. 5 minutes and a few mouse clicks will make a tremendous difference for blind Washingtonians. |
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