DISCLAIMER: This publication contains announcements from the Silicon Valley Council of the Blind and is also a forum for opinions relating to blindness issues. Signed articles reflect the views, and research, of their authors.
STATUS: SVCB is a 501(c)3 non profit, tax-exempt organization under the California Council of the Blind.
CHANGES OF ADDRESS
Contact Julie, database@svcb.cc
MEETING LOCATION
SVCB's monthly meetings are held in the dining room of the Monte Vista Terrace Apts. at 1101 Grant Road, Mountain View. Meetings run 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. the third Saturday of the month and are open to all. Monte Vista Terrace is one block from the intersection of Grant Road and El Camino Real and is accessible by bus #22.
Note: Postal addresses and phone numbers are not included in the online version of this newsletter. For contact information, email membership@svcb.cc
About two weeks ago we received a letter from VTA detailing changes to Outreach services after the public comment period. The results of our effort were a bit disappointing, but it appears our input was considered. I must apologize for the rather optimistic reports in previous newsletters. If you'd like a copy of this letter, contact me.
Service outside the 3/4 mile corridors of bus and light rail was retained but with a cost of $16 each way. Also, the extension is only one mile. Open returns were also kept but with some restrictions. However, VTA appears adamant in aligning Outreach service hours to those of bus and light rail routes near areas you travel in. In SVCB's letter to the VTA board, we asked that this not be done as it would seriously compromise a user's ability to use the service at all. I hear that these changes won't take effect until January, 2010, but the situation is very fluid because of constraints in the state budget, which means they could occur sooner. We are working to have a VTA person talk to us at our September meeting.
The program at the July membership meeting featured a report from Roger Petersen on the ACB convention in Orlando. You will want to take note of the fact that the 2010 convention (July 10 through July 17) will be in Phoenix and the 2011 event will be in Reno. These locations close to California give us a great opportunity to attend these conventions at a lower cost than usual.
And speaking of programs, it was decided in the business meeting to dedicate October's program to those who are working, or have had a job, and how their disabilities helped or hindered their careers. The membership also authorized the formation of an ad hoc committee to formulate a community- outreach event in October honoring Employment of People with Disabilities Awareness Month. Please contact any board member or ask to attend a board meeting and help us with your input.
It was also decided to donate a percentage (not yet determined) of all funds raised in October or at the fall convention to CCB. We may man a booth in the exhibitors' hall after we learn how much it will cost.
I want to close with a reminder to all of you. SVCB is a membership organization, which means that projects it takes on need your participation. It's very easy to note the work that some people are doing and think, 'they're doing it, I don't have to worry about it." If you think this way, SVCB will lose the enthusiasm of those doing the work. And thinking, "I don't know anything, what can I do?" isn't productive either. Ask someone to mentor you, even if you only have an inkling of knowledge. SVCB will eventually disappear if you don't give something to it.
Don't forget the picnic! Call Victor with your reservation and questions, Beverly with appetizers and deserts, and Naomi on bringing items for the raffle. See you there!
Return to the Table of ContentsMike mentioned in his "President's Message" that VTA is planning to make the hours of operation of Outreach paratransit correspond to the hours of the buses and light rail in a given area. We asked Katie Heatley, executive director of Outreach, how such a plan would work in practice. Here is her answer in a note to Mike.
"Outreach would be pleased to review ride history and/or future ride plans with your readers in order to see if any of their trips will be impacted by the future alignment of paratransit service with VTA's fixed route bus and light rail systems. Your readers may call Ms. Belinda Zeweldi, Paratransit Manager, at 408-436-2865 or email her directly at BELINDA@outreach2.org
"In the future, when the VTA policy is implemented, the scheduler will be able to inform the caller at the time of the reservation if the trip they are requesting is aligned with the fixed route service.'
But VTA has more changes in store and more public meetings. We just received the following communication:
VTA Public Meetings: August 10-13, 2009
Proposed Transit Service Reduction Plan Due to continuing declines in economic conditions, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is proposing to reduce bus and light rail services.
On August 10-13, 2009, VTA will hold seven public meetings to discuss the proposed transit service reduction plan and to obtain the public's comments on the plan at its October 1, 2009 meeting. If the VTA Board of Directors approves the plan, the transit service reductions will take effect on January 11, 2010. The Service Reduction Plan is available on VTA's website, http://www.vta.org/servicereductions. (We have provided the web page to several people in SVCB, so if you need to know about your particular route, ask.)
The general public is invited to attend any of these meetings. If you are unable to attend these meetings, you may submit your comments:
In writing to: VTA Customer Service, 3331 North First Street, Bldg B, San Jose, CA 95134-1927.
By Email: customer.service@vta.org; By Phone: 408-321-2300, Hearing Impaired (TTY only) at 408-321-2330; By Fax: 408-321-7535
If you require a sign language interpreter or other accommodations at these public meetings, please call VTA Customer Service (at least five days prior to the meeting date) at 408-321-2300 or hearing impaired (TTY only) at 408-321-2330.
Locations and dates of VTA public meetings:
Campbell: Monday, August 10, 2009 at 7:00 p.m., Campbell Community Center, Roosevelt Community Room, 1 West Campbell Avenue, Campbell. This location is served by VTA bus lines 26 and 60.
San Jose: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., County Government Center, Isaac Newton Senter Auditorium, 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose. This location is served by VTA bus lines 61, 62, 66, 181 and VTA light rail.
Mountain View: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 at 3:00 p.m., Mountain View City Hall, Council Chambers, 500 Castro Street, Mountain View. This location is served by VTA bus lines 22, 35, 51, 52, 522 and VTA light rail.
San Jose: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 at 6:00 p.m., San Jose Public Library, Almaden Branch, 6445 Camden Avenue, San Jose. This location is served by VTA bus line 63.
San Jose: Thursday, August 13, 2009 at 3:00 p.m., Dr. Roberto Cruz - Alum Rock Branch Public Library, 3090 Alum Rock Avenue, San Jose. This location is served by VTA bus lines 25, 45 and 71.
Milpitas: Thursday, August 13, 2009 at 7:00 p.m., Milpitas Public Library, Room A, 160 N. Main Street, Milpitas. This location is served by VTA bus line 66.
Return to the Table of ContentsWe wish very happy August birthdays to Bev Clifford, Fahimeh Eghtessadi, Claudia Gulasch, Marsha Marciano, Judy Polatchek, Charlie Stein, and honorary member Jerry Howard!
Return to the Table of ContentsCCB has asked its chapters and affiliates if they would be willing to conduct a fund raiser in September or October and to donate a portion of the proceeds from that fund raiser to CCB. We had a productive discussion regarding this topic at our July meeting. I'd like to thank everyone for sharing your ideas and for your cooperation as we worked out the details of this project. We still need to work out some details before we announce our plans, but I can tell you that we will be doing something to benefit SVCB and CCB in October. Stay tuned for additional announcements!
I'd also like to thank you for your participation in purchasing and selling our various fund-raiser items. Without your assistance, SVCB would not be able to raise the funds we need to support our activities. Special thanks go to Naomi Grubb for being our top candy bar salesperson for June and July, and to Bev and Vic Clifford for selling the most T-shirts since we began our "reading is for everyone" T-shirt project! Speaking of our T-shirt project, we have a few more people to thank. Thanks to Susan Hyatt for suggesting the text for our shirts, and to Vic Clifford for suggesting that we include something to represent audio books. To Darin McGrew, thank you for designing the artwork based on our ideas and suggestions. And to LeeAnn Nakagawa, thanks for contacting possible T-shirt vendors and for getting quotes for our project. And to all of you who helped with the many little decisions that needed to be made for this project to get off the ground, THANKS!
We will be placing a second order for our new T-shirts sometime in August after our picnic. So if you have not yet ordered yours, we encourage you to do so soon! The shirts say, "reading is for everyone" in regular print, braille, and large print. The text is written on the front cover of a closed book, and the book is wearing a pair of headphones to include the idea of audio books. These short-sleeve shirts are white with the artwork in black. Shirts are available in ladies' sizes small-2X without pockets, men's sizes small-3X with and without pockets, and children's sizes small-large without pockets. Shirts without pockets have the artwork on the front. Shirts with pockets have the pocket on the front left and the artwork on the back.
Shirts without pockets cost $17 each for adult sizes small-XL and $20 each for sizes 2X-3X. Shirts with pockets cost $19 each for sizes small-XL and $22 each for sizes 2X-3X. Please ask for pricing for children's sizes. We can offer a discount to organizations who wish to purchase shirts as a fund raiser. Shipping charges will apply if you are unable to pick up orders personally.
For more information or to place an order, contact me at 650-964-7973 or send email to fund.raising@svcb.cc. Please note that some people have had trouble reaching me via this email address, so if you cannot get through, please send email to svcb@onebox.com, and your message will be forwarded to me. We are trying to resolve the problems, so if you could report any difficulties you had along with your questions or order, we would greatly appreciate it.
Purchase your See's candy bars while supplies last! We will not be restocking candy bars again until after the cooler weather returns. We currently have plain milk chocolate and Walnut Squares. These cost $1.50 each. We also have a few of See's Sugar Free Dark Bars for $1.75 each. To place an order, contact me as listed above.
Beginning in September, SVCB will again be selling Entertainment Coupon Books for $30 each. For more information or to help sell them, please contact Mike Keithley at 650-386-6286 or at mkeithley@pobox.com.
Remember to continue saving your recyclable aluminum cans and plastic water bottles. Donna Sanchez (408-377-8311) collects plastic water bottles, and Charlie Stein (650-494-3258) collects aluminum cans. You may bring these items to an upcoming meeting or call the appropriate contact to make other arrangements. Donna and Charlie redeem the bottles and cans for funds which are then used to support SVCB activities.
See you at the picnic!
Return to the Table of Contents[Editor's note: The following is a response from our CCB Director of Advocacy and Govermental Affairs to a comment on the CCB email list that CCB was not taking a position on the California state budget cuts.]
Mr. -- is misinformed regarding CCB's position on California's budget cuts, especially with respect to the unjust cuts to SSI/SSP funds.
On May 27, I attended a large protest against budget cuts that took place on the west steps of the State Capitol.
In the following week I twice testified in behalf of CCB during the legislature's Budget Conference Committee hearings on the budget cuts. In the first case I testified against the SSP cuts, pointing out that, since the SSI program is administered through the Social Security Administration, there is essentially no administrative cost to the California State Government. This means that the entire amount of the cuts is passed directly to SSI recipients. Since this "cut" comes directly out of the pockets of SSI beneficiaries, it is a de facto income tax. What's more, since it is directed at the poorest people in California, it is probably the single most regressive tax ever imposed on the people of this state.
In my second appearance before the Committee I spoke in behalf of the preservation of funding for the California School for the Blind. ACB Capitol Chapter President Paul Patche and CCB Education Committee Chair Joni Patche, also testified at that hearing.
I followed up on my verbal testimony by sending similar written comments to the Committee.
Yesterday, Kamilla Ryding, CCB's student extern, and I visited about a dozen legislators' Capitol offices to express our concerns about the latest budget agreement's impact on California's social safety net. The truth is that nearly two thirds of our state legislature's members share our distress over the current budget.
Where I can agree strongly with Mr. -- is that we in CCB need to be more active legislative advocates. Now is the time for each of us to act. As soon as the budget deal gets done, possibly as early as today, the legislators are going to go home for their summer recess. I challenge each of you to contact the district offices of your member of the California State Assembly and of the California State Senate, and find out their schedule of public events in your area. Make sure you and other members of your chapter attend those events and try to introduce yourselves to your legislators. See if you can get a meeting with them during their recess. Keep in mind that it's just as important for you to cultivate relationships with legislative staff members, too. It will be a big help to me if you report on these contacts to me.
I understand that many of you feel uncomfortable, even unqualified about approaching your legislators and their employees. Don't let that stop you. Remember, they all are supposed to be working for you, and they are accountable to you for their actions. Besides, you can feel free to ask for my help in preparing for your meetings with legislators.
For those of you who are inclined to question CCB's level of activism, I challenge you to set an example for the rest of us by taking the steps I've outlined above and reporting back to us on your experiences. I'm going to continue my efforts in this area, and, if you will join me in leading the way, many more of our members will follow.
Yours in advocacy,
Frank Welte, Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs, California Council of the Blind, 1510 J Street, Suite 125, Sacramento, CA 95814. Work Phone: 916-441-2100, Fax: 916-441-2188, Cell Phone: 650-576-4177, Web Site: http://www.ccbnet.org. Work Email: frank.welte@ccbnet.org. Personal Email: frank-welte@sbcglobal.net
Return to the Table of ContentsI've sketched how to reach our local and state representatives. Now I'll do the same for our representatives and senators in the United States Congress.
Barbara Boxer (112 Hart Senate Office Building; Washington, DC 20510; 202-224-3553, fax: 202-224-0454; www.boxer.senate.gov) and Dianne Feinstein (331 Hart Senate Office Building; Washington, DC 20510; 202-224-3841, Fax: 202-228-3954; www.feinstein.senate.gov) are our senators. You can contact their offices using the above phone numbers or email them by accessing the above URLs and finding the email link where you fill out a form. Both senators have offices in California, and you can get contact information from the above websites. A great place for information about the U.S. senate is www.senate.gov.
Likewise, www.house.gov takes you to the House of Representatives website. Although there are only two California senators, there are 53 representatives, and you need to know who represents you. You can find this out by accessing www.house.gov and entering your zip code, after which you can access the appropriate website. As with senators, representatives can be contacted at their Washington or local offices.
If you don't have Internet access, contact the County Registrars Office at 408-299-8302. In addition, Frank Welte can help you. He is CCB's Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs and can be reached at 800-221-6359 (toll free), 650-576-4177 (cell) or by email at frank.welte@ccbnet.org.
The place to go to track federal legislation of concern to blind and visually impaired people is ACB's Washington connection. You can call 800-424-8666 and use option 3 or access www.acb.org/washington/index.html.
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