Last year, school finance reform passed by the Texas Legislature reduced local school property taxes for most homeowners. Left out of the reduction were homeowners with disabilities and senior citizens whose property taxes had been frozen. State Rep. Leo Berman of Tyler has filed legislation to correct this unfair situation. “HJR1 and HB5 will allow the school property tax of senior citizens and people with disabilities whose taxes are frozen to be reduced by one-third by the end of the year. I am proud to introduce this legislation,” said Berman. Approval by voters in a constitutional election in May would be the last step in this process.
Advocates should support this legislation as filed and without potentially harmful amendments. You can now use Raise Your Voice ! CTD’s new website tool allows you to directly contact your state legislators through e-mail, direct mail, and even by phone. Click on Raise Your Voice on HB5 to take action on this bill today!
The 80th Legislature is in session & it’s convention time again! This year’s CTD gathering will be in conjunction with the Brain Injury Association of Texas (BIATX) Monday April 9-Wednesday April 11, 2007 at the Radisson in beautiful Downtown Austin. The joint endeavor should bring over 200 advocates who will dive into the “Think Tank” of disability issues & legislative advocacy. Wednesday, April 11, will be a day to visit the Capitol & meet your legislators to discuss issues that are important to you.
For those of you who couldn’t get enough of the Executive Surf Club at last year’s convention, you’ll be only blocks away from Lucy’s Retired Surfer’s Bar. We’ll be 10 blocks from the Texas Capitol, walking distance from historic Sixth Street & the warehouse district, and at the hub of the Capitol Metro bus system.
Registration details coming very soon. Check back often at www.cotwd.org/convention.html
If you don’t receive registration information in the mail soon, let us know.
If you remember last legislative session, you’ll remember CTD uber-member Mikail Davenport, who cycled 350 miles across Texas, a ride culminating in a huge disabilities issue rally at the steps of the State Capitol. CTD’s Capitol Ride’05 was a fund and consciousness raising success which helped CTD to gain legislators’ attention to crucial disability issues during the ’05 session.
Fast forward to the 80th State Legislature, 2007 - CTD and Mikail are still fighting the good fight and bringing much deserved attention to legislative issues that have the potential to seriously affect you and your loved ones with disabilities. We need our members to support Mikail in his newest endeavor, CTD’s Legless Lizard Tour de Tejas! This project is a 950 mile, 25 day opportunity for disabilities issues awareness across Texas.
Mikail, a survivor of cancer and polio who is 58, will cycle from El Paso to Beaumont, March 4-29, solo and without the use of his legs, a feat at the very edge of human capability. Mikail will ride his hand cycle, with wheelchair attached behind, some 40 to 60 miles per day, during March 2007, a critical time period in the 2007 Texas legislative session. He will hold scheduled television, radio and newspaper interviews in dozens of communities along the way. This ride presents a fantastic way to let folks all across the state to know how legislation being debated now in Austin has the potential to affect the quality of your lives and more importantly that YOU have the power to effect change by participating in the political process and contacting your legislators!
Please support Mikail and CTD’s hard work by contributing to the Legless Lizard Tour de Tejas, an amazing endurance event designed to publicize and promote CTD’s advocacy goals. Go to our website to make a donation: www.cotwd.org or mail it to us at: CTD, 316 W. 12th St. #405, Austin, TX 78701.
We here at CTD have been working hard for you, to help insure a successful launch of the new Medicaid Star-Plus Program. We have been working with Evercare offering trainings in Effective Interactions With People With Disabilities. Are hopes of these trainings Our to create a more effective and accurate line of communication between the consumers of Star-Plus and the participating HMO’s employees. CTD has 29 years of experience in the area of effective interactions with people with disabilities and hopes to pass on their knowledge to any company or organization that wants to improve the lives and communications of people in the disabled community.
The community of advocates for people with disabilities lost a solid friend with the recent passing of Carrie Byars. Carrie was an active member of the San Antonio Area Disability Advocates and CTD. Carrie was a lady of dignity and always the learner, continuing to participate with CTD as her age advanced and limited vision further diminished. She knew how to be heard. “About time you got around to seeing me”, Carrie gently chided me at a recent convention when we visited, then she went on to talk about the importance of disability advocacy. CTD sends our sincere condolences to the Byars family.
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