December 1995 Edition - Access Press

-

More TTY Coming for

"Ho! Ho! Ho!" - Santa Claus

Buildings Page 9

Access Press I

Battle of the Bud&

Governor Won - Public Lost Money Piles Up As Good Programs Suffer

by Charlie Smith r,;

-.

.

-q

--

.

-.

,-

.

Educational Vouchers What Are They Really About?

huing the last legislativesession the governor and his conservativefollrepeatt edlytold us how bad the envirot&ent was for business and that our spending on a lot of valuable programs had to be cut if the Statewas to survive.

Eaolg p p b believed this dubious premise to do some

vide real numbers to the next legislative session. Serious discussion of cost controls by this department are frustrated -The latest discussion about now by their lack of informas costs for the disposition of the $800 tion. ~ r & d o w nof million surplus indudes the thevarious programsfor 1994 Governor's advice to give it are still not available to those back to the taxpayers (a pdit- studying specific programs. is spendical ploy which wnlbt mean- ~nd,thisde~artment kglpaglessto most taxpayers) or ing in excess of $5 billion, to save it for a "rainy byw, making it ourrecond largest ernor has agreed to ask for more funds for MTCO in 1996.

Governor Carlson ets to the various

dents so that they can "attend schooling". It's differentnow, the nonpublic school of their this report claims. Now we choicen. We at ACCESS must get used to the idea of PRESSthiithat this is a had making do with "a fixed ~ e t h i c a l l y a s w e 1 l a s p ~ -mount of money available fwtheeducationofchildren."

marketplace" will make better decisions than somethiig called "democracy". Since competitionby its nature calls for some to be winners and some to be losers, we have to

quitefitabovethebottomline, well, too bad for them. Because W e carinot raise tax-

the competition for a good education?

es".

Even though we didn't like the idea in the first place, we decided to actually read the Governor's proposal to see if

First of all, we oppose the philosophicalretreat-the idea &at thete is something called the 'public good" fiom which each citizen bneflts.

As the recently publisvd Weber-Bradl report (upon

We alsoobjecttothe idea that what ourschoolsneedis some-

ty needed $6 millian more to

2

Access Press

December 10,1995

- -

.

-

-

- ~.

-

iip

-.

-.*-I . . ,

-

St. Pr -1 Changes

interpreted-for.ieople who are deaf or hard of hearing.

- .-

!!

he City of St. PauLstartodan '.w policy November 20,1995, Every $1,000,000 cut fmm the federal budget translates into: garding thg 1 ~ - 6 % ~ 1 t ~ dparking o w meters. A I ~users, cludmg those' displaying disability certificates or license 159,770 hours ofpersonal care needed by people with disabilates, are subject to the 15-minute limit. Violators are issued ities 10 cihtions. Chronic violators will have their vehicle towed. or 77.0 Full time employees of personal care attendant jobs, ' -

Audio Described ~erfomahces Dec. 14, Thurs,. 2:00 pm: "Amah1 and the Night Visitors" Theater in the Round Players, Minneapolis

'

.

'

I

Fa

5.

a vehicle that displays a disability-pTI'%&ng certificate or a institutions at an average annual cost of $27,500 per person. lisability license plate may park without time restrictions 28 x $27,500 equals $770,000 in increasedcosts of institutionalunless time restrictions are posted. ization, plus $240,000 in lost federal tax revenues mentionld ill be ldaking more thoroughly into above plus $1 56,550 in lost state tax revenues, plus increased -hour parking for people unemployment and welfare costs, equals over $1,166,500 in increased costs in one year as a result of each $1,000,000 cut, in Medicaid funds. .ation or to report abuse of disability parkiig call the City of Saint Paul Citizen Service Office at 266-8989.

5

I

I METROPOLITAN COUNCIL

':S

*%

Public Hearing on 1996 ADA Paratransit Plan for the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area 'jl

The Metropolitan Counc.il will hold a public hearing on its updated draft of the "Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Paratransit Plan."

<:

I

The hearing will k at 5 p.m., Monday, January 8,1996 in the Metropolitan Council Chambers, Mears Park Centre, 230 East 5th Street, downtown St. Paul. Interested persons are encouraged to attend the hearing and offer comments. People may register in advanceto speak at the public hearingby calling 229-2758 or 29 1-0904 (TIT).Upon request, the Council will provide reasonable accommodations to persons with disabilided at the hearing.

representativesof groups or organizationswill be asked to limit their comments to 10 minutes. 4) The chair of the hearing may limit the testimony of any person.

Please patronize your Access Press Advertisers and tell then, where you hearc about them.

They bring you vdur DaDer.

<

Dec. 14, Thm., 7:30 pm: "~hristmas.carol".

Guthrie Theater, M i n n e m

Jan. 7, Sun., 7:00 pm: "Hunchback of Notre D Theatre de la Jeune Lune, Mimeepsiis Info 333-6200

ASL Interpreted ferformances

.

.vltqr

Dec. 14, Thurs., 7 3 0 pm: "Christmas C & T ~ % J ~ Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis

6:

Jan. 14, Sun., 7:00 "Hunchback ofNotre Damen Theatre de la Jeune Lune, Minneapolis Info: 333-6200 (no 'ITY) (2 .u. ,

1

-

OSTOMY URINARY MANAGEMENT . NURSING SUPPLY SPECIALISTS

Written comments, which must be received by 5 p.m., Thursday, January 18, 1996, should be sent to Barb Quade, Metropolitan Council, Mears Park Centre, 230 E. 5th Street, St. Paul, MN 55 101. Comments may also be faxed to Ms. Quade at 291-6550.

Copies of the plan will be availableto review in the Council's Data Center, Third Floor of Mears Park Center or call 291-8140. $e Plan will also be available to review on

'r-p

For hrther information on accessibility at performance lac&+ tions throughout the state as well as information on programming accommodations, contact Cra2g Dunn at Very Special M s Minnesota, 332-3888 (Voicg or TTY) or 1-800-801-3883 outstate (Voice or TIT).

Sf PAUL 641-1917 HOURSt=OO k4-f *ms~AvL)(OCI(IWI

Access Press

BookReview

I

I I I I

I

DISABILITY RIGHTS IN THE NEWS: How What, And Why

by Jeff Nygaard 7

ve been battered for monhs with warnings, threats, and close calls in regard to one or another issue of concern to the community ofpeople with disabilities. Cuts in Medicare, cuts in Medicaid, attacks on the ADA, public'transit being questioned - you name it. It seems like every time you turn on the TV or look at the moming paper there's more bad news. Have you ever wondered why it's so rare to see someone who is actually involved in the disability rights movement get in the news?

esting statistics). I got somuch out of it that I was genuinely surprised when I looked and found out that the whole book is only 160 pages long!

The authors, Tari Susan Hartman and Mary Johnson, begin by pointing out that the familiar "human interest" stories which so often portray people with disabilities as ' L ~ ~ e r c ~ mor e r"victims" s" do nothing to advance public understanding of issues facing people with disabilities as a group. They explaiqwhy it is important for the news media to start to cover issues around disability as rights issues that have significance in regard to public policy, rather than as storiesof individualneeds that are best solved through chari-

Well, wonder no more. The answer to this question and others,aswell as concreteideas on how to change the situation, can be found in a 1993 book from The Advocado Press: MAKIIUGNEWS: How tv

The authors observe that there is often a problem not only with the way that disability issues appear in the news, but also with how larger issues are so often covered without any discussion of the implications they have for disability rights.

For example, it tookmonthsof work to finally get the media to sometimesfocuson the longterm care implications of the Medicaid cuts. (Even though this is where the majority of Medicaid money goes!) When a high-ranking Minnesotastate official recently stated that the cuts might result in terminating some "optional" benefits like personal care services, where were the howls of outrage? Maybe in your living room, but they didn't get in the papea.

December lo, 1995

.

3

IN BRIEF. . . . .

Consumer lssue Hotline The former Metro Mobility Issues Line is now the MCIL Consumer Issue Hotline. The purpose of the hotline is to keep you informed on our advocacy and consumer organizingeffortsandalsoincludes information on pertinent legislation and actions you can

I~

take to impact its progress. In addition, you will be able to leave comments for us about systems advocacy issues you are encountering. Systems advocacy includes policies, practices, laws, regulations or benefits which affect many people within the disability

community. The MCIL Consumer Issue Hotline number is 603-2039.

I

,

Use this number to find but about the upcoming Disability Rally at the State Capitol Rotunda on Tuesday, January 23rd. [See adv. on page 7.1

e Housing w Guidebook

Persons with disabilities can learn about new and innovative living options available to them by reading A Guidebook on Consumer Controlled Housingfor Minnesotans with Disabilitiej.. This guidebook

hasjust been published by Arc Minnesota and the University of Miiesota's Research and Training Center on Residential Services and Community Living. This book provides an overviewofcurrentknowledge

on the options available-to those who want to create living arrangementswith theconsurner in mind. It is available <, through local bookstores or through Arc Minnesota.

Volunteer For The State Of Minnesota You can help m e a differ- sitions occur as frequently as 4 ence in public decision-mak- or 5 a month. And, each Jam ingbyvolunteeringyourskills ary the number of vacancies and talents on state agency increases up to about 300 due boardsandcouncils.There are to the end ofthe four yearterm over 200 boards and councils forvariousmembers.Youmay in the State of Minnesota. Po- obtain application forms or a

%:

--

list of Stateagency boards and councils from: Leonor B. Urbain, Department of Employee Relations, (6 12) 2973496. Applications are kept on file for a one year p e r i d

".

-

I

-

-

Post Polio Support Group TheNew~orkPost~olio Sup port Group is interested in duals who had to alert them

.

-

about the 'Late Effects of Po- l 82, Howard Beach, NY lio' thatthey may notbeaware 11414, tel(718) 835-5536 or of. Contact: New Ybrk Post fax 7 (1&% )Polio Support Group, PO Box

.*

7

Issues

Working Membm

I

t i n & ~ to~covb;&&dity rights @w"aoqping news stories of importance to this nation." And in the proof ehhg the aaivist reader, the b o k M ~ ~ correctsmanypopularmisconeeptions about people with disabilitiesand the issues that c~a~crh~*em.

-.,

The nice thing about this book is that it can be read in a numberofways. It'ssoclearly laid out that the activist reader can look up specific tactics and plans to help in the c u m (

--

. M.-+L a Media ~ t r a t e e ~ u i l d iand n ~ the "right-to-die" issues Relationshipsw ~ ~ ~ S M areal! e looked at. Actual media The Sustainable Resources learn new ski& and mak dia"; "Getting Coverage for cu* is analyzed, and the Center (SRC) has a new an Action"; and "Changing authors point out how the ef- AmeriCorps grant to do work surrounding lead issues in the Hollywood hsges". The 'fo- forts of diubility rights Twin Cities area. SRC is cur- lowance and an educational Cheri Bernd of Sustainable is on mding disabiliv ists affected the I ~ interesting in this rently recruiting members to award upon successful com- ResourcesCenterat872-3298 r@&~ O-- t l ~ o r t h yPMcularly . are the secMany ofthe chapt thedebaten. a set of exercises for the reader to do, either individually or or example, in the c h a p g e ~ ~ . ,of pression in & ;1e with dn tion, call the Duluth RU with their group. Whether it's the right to die the authm the abilities and promote public AOc&ssQffice,(218)727-8958 questionsfor discussion, clip- point outthat,"your success in . ' Access Comat Central ping and analyzing current fiaming the issue in disability WY1996. This h&s@&@ mu-. awareness. mein thecommunity It is openwho to anyhas omunityS r d & h news items, or rnsmbling a ri&b taw will depend on r d&e to work onstage or Duluth, 800 Eas=ntmnc4 mock press kit, each set is your skill h providing evi- to present works of high &t%h'fN 5581 1.

F m m o i~forma~ aimed at helping the r e a h dence to d i s p m m e aswnp tic quality, fosta creative ex- b

MN Access Theatre In Duluth

t e