[NFBWATlk] Fwd: Action plan WATBBL

[Marci Carpenter]

> Begin forwarded message:
> 
> From: Susan Prows <s_prows at hotmail.com>
> Subject: Action plan WATBBL
> Date: July 15, 2026 at 1:35:45 PM PDT
> To: Marci Carpenter <mjc59 at comcast.net>
> 
> This is what thought we could send out…
> 
> Greetings fellow Federationist
> 
> The state is currently process for the biannual budget. While the legislature will not convene until January 2027, it is important that we start educating our current legislators, as well as their opponents now to support funding our Washington Talking Book And Braille Library. As you all know, we are very bipartisan organization and it will take votes on both sides to get funding through. The following is what we need from the general fund, $1 million to just keep the doors open at WTBBL. This is the one place that blind, DeafBlind and other prints disabled people can get a wide variety of materials. It serves us from birth to old age. Local libraries don’t have the vast selection or accessibility that  WTBBL has. With an increasing population of low vision seniors in the state, it is expected that there will be 755,000 low vision seniors who will need services by 2035. It is very important that we all get out and  talk to current and potential legislators to educate them about our needs. The budget will be extremely tight next year and everybody is fighting for every penny they can possibly get. We can’t sit this battle out. It takes each and every one of us to start educating the legislature now. 
> If you have any further questions, please feel free to get back in touch with me. If you get any commitments or strong interest from anyone, please let us myself or Marci know immediately. Thank you.
> -Susan Prows, s_prows at hotmail.com