Snyder Plan To Cut Agency For Blind People Stirs Anger

[David1946]

 

If you're not white, rich, straight, or a republican in Michigan, you're f%cked...!!

 

Snyder Plan To Cut Agency For Blind People Stirs Anger

http://www.freep.com/article/20120228/NEWS15/202280330

 

LANSING -- Advocates for blind people are unhappy with a shake-up in services for disabled people announced last week by Gov. Rick Snyder, including elimination of the Michigan Commission for the Blind.

 

They say Snyder ordered the changes without consulting or giving a warning to those who will be most affected.

 

Snyder's executive order would move most vocational rehabilitation services for disabled people to the Department of Human Services from the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.

 

A small business program overseen by the Commission for the Blind -- under which blind people receive contracts to operate stores and provide vending machines in state buildings and at highway rest areas -- is to be moved to the Department of Technology, Management and Budget.

 

In place of the commission, which has a full-time director whose position is to be eliminated, Snyder ordered the creation of an advisory board for services to blind and visually impaired people.

 

"We don't want any stinking advisory board," said Fred Wurtzel, past president of the Michigan Federation of the Blind.

 

The state gets better results and more bang for the buck by having "a separate dedicated staff that specializes only in working with blind people," Wurtzel said, adding that he was not speaking on behalf of the federation.

 

Joe Harcz, a member of both the federation and American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today, said federal law requires states to hold public hearings before making significant changes in their vocational training plans. But that didn't happen, he said.

 

Mario Morrow, a spokesman for the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, said public hearings will be held before the order takes effect.

 

Harcz also questioned how Snyder can repeal an act of the Legislature that created the Commission for the Blind.

 

But Snyder spokeswoman Sara Wurfel said the order doesn't eliminate any powers the legislation created, but only transfers them.

 

The Michigan Constitution says executive orders with the power of law take effect in 60 days unless resolutions rejecting them are passed by both chambers of the Legislature.

 

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 orpegan@freepress.com

 

 

 

[Croppled1]

He also effected the agency of assistance for the insurance commisioners office which was the protector of the disabled and all Citizens to receive fair care and guaranteed replies in insurance disputes . Insurance companies are responsable for hopsital bills for only one year and if they can avoid paying I am told the statute of limitations runs out . However Citizens are responsable for the same bills for 3 years . Anyone can correct me if they know I am wrong . I can't even find the phone number for the insurance commisioners office anymore to call them . They used to have a complaint form you filled out and they submitted it to your insurer and they had to reply in writting on the record to the State within 30 days and they as a advocate checked to make sure all was well and passed it on . They were a great help to the disabled , elderly and patients of Michigan . One of the most important consumer protection mechanisms in the State because we all know patients can't access the court system due to effort , time and money required .

[kruztydj]

Normal crap from someone like snyder. Give the rich a raise off the backs of the poor.You will see alot more of this while they dump more money into LEO to control you more. Didn't they just find a HUGE surplus ? Where did that cash go ? well right into LEO where else. Close some more schools so they can give them selfs a bigger raise this year too. It's only going to get worse.

[Frank R]

Snyder's mantra is, like most businessmen's, "Do what you want, and apologize later."

 

Leave it to a Republican to attack the:

 

• 
   
  
• Blind
  
• Sick
  
• Poor
  
• Weak
  
• Children
  
• Seniors
  
• Any, and all vulnerable peoples that will have trouble defending themselves
  

 

I can't wait to see what Snyder is going to do to the dead citizens of Michigan.

Perhaps an annual grave tax.

Soon we'll see "lazy" corpses and skeletons loitering at the gates of the local cemeteries.

 

 

A man is defined by the strength of his foes....

[SparklyBuds]

What is his motive behind moving things from DHS to LARA? First the MMJ program, now this?

[Frank R]

He's consolodating government operations under the LARA shell, so that he can easily outsource those government operations to a private management company.

 

The average Joe Schmoe wont think nothing of it when LARA comes under management by Cerberus or Bain.