Akua, I want to share some of the situations I have run into that
are similar to yours and many others I know. I do know there are
ways to adjust to some of them. Please don't get ticked and delete
my message. I am involved in some ad hoc committees relative to
transportation, low/med cost housing, universal design etc. I am a
T-10 complete para who is unable to stand, walk, or do anything
besides sit in my wheelchair, drive, my many non profit activities,
etc.
1. and 2. $460,000 does not even begin to cover the items you said.
There is something terrifically wrong with that amount to cover the
items you listed. It is way, way too low! I'm not sure, not
knowing the demographic of your area that the additional monies is
even close to what is needed.
I'm just QUOTING there from official sources.
3, If the regular transit buses have lifts, etc for wheelchairs, is
the state or federal law that depends on the route to the regular
bus route inaccessible? If not, then, as here in CA we have to get
to the bus route on our own. No door to door pick up if we are
close to the regular bus line. Buses are accessible.
Your infrastructure is so developed to even have these
considerations!!!! I live in Northern Applachia
and am in/ under the Applachian Regional commission. Little did I
know until TM paralyzed me, how
UTTERLY LACKING IN EVERYTHING we are here.
4. When you hit item #4 you are skipping off of transportation and
looking at looking at housekeeping etc. We have to be realistic and
remember that just because we are disabled we are not entitled to
all the rights that other groups of people would also benefit from
Actually deliberately ! So that they understand the SCOPE OF THEIR
CITIZENRY. One out of every five people in my area are disabled and
there is no paratransit!
#7 Be specific when making an appt for whatever reason that there
is either a table that adjust higher or lower to allow you to
transfer. Or make very, very sure the person you are making the
appt with knows you are in a wheelchair and standing is not an
option. This has been a great problem for me, but I insist they
bring in a crew to transfer me to the exam table.
Now this is IRKSOME because you presume I haven't. This turns me
off, so I'm not responding any further. You obviously haven't read or
paid attention to anything else I've shared or discussed here over
the several years.
8. Here is CA it is our responsibility that we have the blue
markings for handicap parking. However, I don't think it requires
the cut outs to adjust to our specific needs...we all are different.
The local police are not always responsive, but where I live, a $400
ticket, plus the
loss of the handicap placard is pretty expensive.
#9. Keep bugging these folks of what needs to be done. One or two
phone calls don't do it. Plug their numbers where you can easily
call at least once a week and make sure they know your know. Always
be pleasant.
KEEP PLUGGING ALONG AND DON'T GIVE UP. I HAVE SEEN SOME
REMARKABLE CHANGES WHERE I LIVE BECAUSE WE KEEP ON WORKING. Also
see if you can get involved with an indepentent living center. They
work on all these issues.
And Akua, try and keep a positive attitude. It works almost more
than anything.
Cindy
----- Original Message -----
From: <mailto:a...@artfarm.com>Akua
To: <mailto:tmic-list@eskimo.com>tmic-list@eskimo.com
Sent: Saturday, October 23, 2010 7:14 PM
Subject: [TMIC] OT:Asking My Politician for Help
Asked my politician for help.
I put together, from conversations I've had here a great list
that summarizes and concretizes some of my thoughts
on my situation:
Here's what I think about:
In March Chemung County was awarded "$460,000 to Purchase 1 40ft.
Bus and Scheduling Software from funding for 191 new Recovery Act
transit projects in 42 states and Puerto Rico that will help
transform the nation's infrastructure and support thousands of jobs
across the country."
WETM-TV announced that Chemung was just awarded another million
dollars for transportation."Elmira, N.Y. - Chemung County was has
been notified by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) that they
will receive up to $ 1.1 million in FTA funding to rehabilitate the
bus garage, purchase fare collection equipment and replace buses for
the Chemung County Transit System.
The County will utilize $500,000 of the funds to rehabilitate parts
of its maintenance facility and to replace its fare collection
system. Many components of the facility, such as bus lifts,
electrical wiring and lighting, and overhead doors, will be
replaced. The County is also proposing to replace its fare
collection equipment. The current equipment dates back to 1998 and
does not have the ability to sell tickets or count fares. The
system will be upgraded to a read/write swipe card system. In a
second project, the County use $600,000 to replace old buses and a
supervisory vehicle.
Chemung County Executive Tom Santulli stated, "In a recent survey,
four out of every ten bus passengers said they use our system to get
to and from work. They rely on the bus system to keep their jobs.
Our grant application spoke to our residents' needs. Chemung County
was one out of only six systems statewide to receive this
discretionary funding."
Yet we have no transportation of our own in Corning and no paratransit.
Why doesn't Steuben County have anyone of vision like Tom Santulli?
Why are we so bereft?
Chemung County has been contracted to provide transportation for
Steuben County and Corning
Paratransit Vehicle costs:
<http://www.getanybus.com/>http://www.getanybus.com/
for instance
fully reconditioned wheelchair shuttle bus $22,500 2004
It's ironic that there's no paratransit here, yet a successful manufacturer
of paratransit buses operates in Penn Yann!
<http://www.coachandequipment.com/>http://www.coachandequipment.com/
http://www.coachandequipment.com/metro-lite.htm
1. 20.5% of Steuben County is disabled
2. There is no viable public transportation in my county.
3. There is no paratransit in my county.
4.
<http://www.disabledinaction.org/census_stats.html>http://www.disabledinaction.org/census_stats.html
18% of America is disabled
5. Medicaid has enabled many to profit and set artificially high
prices for services that those who are neither wealthy nor
desperately poor can afford (eg $50/hour for a home aide in an area
where the median household income is$35, 479 and per capita $18,197
so who can afford help?!!)
7. The four story multicity block clinic has NOT ONE accessible
examination table. Guthrie's Board of Directors has ignored my
letters.
8. The ramp to the front of my house, put in by so called experts,
does not meet ADA standards and is too steep for me to navigate
alone, so I can't use my front entrance anymore -- unless assisted.
The BBB did nothing about or to the vendor.
9. My congressman quit, but neither he, my mayor, my county
officials, the State DOT, nor my city council has responded to any
of my concerns or pleas for transportation.
11. Steuben County has one of the Highest suicide rates in the state
12.3 (Queens has 6.4, Manhattan 8.4, Chemung, next door with an
"urban" population is 9.8) NY has the third lowest suicide rate in
the nation
12. My complaints and concerns seem to be the first time anyone
has heard anything about anything if the responders are to be
believed. Because of my concerns there is now allegedly training for
public bus drivers and tie downs on the few/rare public buses. I
don't know as i will never risk my life on them again.
13. I was denied handicapped parking in front of the house that i
own and pay taxes on. The city installed
too-steep-for-me-to-use-unassisted curb cuts. Kids seem to enjoy
using these ramps as do young mothers pushing baby strollers.
14. You can get drugs, alcohol and pizza delivered to your home in
Corning. You cannot get fruit, vegetables, milk, or other groceries
delivered. I pay half again the cost of my groceries to have
someone shop for me.
15. There are no local delivery services-- this extends beyond
groceries, there is no way to have anything else delivered locally.
16. People who know me me and of my situation have created places
that i cannot access. I was invited to perform in a public space
that was inaccessible -- no ramps, no ground level entry. The new
art gallery is on the second floor of a building without an elevator.
17. The local yarn store is new, opened on the second floor of a
building without an elevator
18. The ramp to the AIM building is too steep for me to navigate unassisted.
.
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