The International Special Olympic games are about to begin. I felt the best thing ACCESS PRESS could do for its readers was to provide you with information and locations so you can attend. The games are free of charge and it can give you the chance to see some of the worlds best athletes and the opportunity to cheer for our own Minnesotan athletes. Keep the center-spread of this issue for your guide.
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The Fair Fare Coalition deserves our thanks for their great job in organizing the Rally on June 26th at the Governors Mansion. With over two hundred people in a attendance, it did show the Governor and others how important transportation is to people with disabilities.
I felt Governor Carlson did some fancy politicking with the crowd. First, he explained how he understood our outrage at the fare increase and service cuts became, after all, “my mother is blind.” Then said the reason Metro Mobility is in trouble is not his fault, as he supported full funding of the program. It’s the legislators who are at fault here – not the Governor. I’m sorry, Mr. Carlson, I can’t accept that kind or logic. You were telling the legislature to cut their budgets which included the Metro Mobility program. If you supported full funding at 29 million dollars, than why did you sign the bill when it was presented to you with cuts to 25.3 million? Later you told the press you would try to set-up a loan to help fund the program after the fact. It looks more like a PR ploy to me. Tell the people your going to “try” to solve their problem and they will quietly go away. I am not by any means an expert in the workings of Minnesota government, but the people I have talked with say “unless the Governor calls this an emergency” he won’t be able to find a source for he loan. If you do find a place to get the money are you going to show our legislature where they can find money for continuing support in 1992? I hope so!
Mr. Ehrlichmann consented to give us his view of the situation and we are reprinting his statement in full. For a view of the Carlson vs. the Legislature issue we are printing both the Governors latest word and Lee Greenfields most recent thoughts. Note the change from June 27th to June 28th in Governor Carlson’s statement.
One last thing, if you or someone you know is unable to get to work or school because of the rate increases, call us! We want to tell your story to the people responsible for the cuts.
