As the capitol city of Texas, Austin should set the example for other cities to follow. The seat of the state government is here, laws are made and the constitution amended, it should therefore be an idea city where laws are followed. The fact is that the city is ineffective in providing enforcement of laws that give the basic rights of an individual. If you are disabled the act of trying to access buildings, park, or even go down the sidewalk is difficult.
The number of disabled is on the rise in the state as the baby boomers get older. Currently the number of people over 65 who are disabled is 47.7 % and people 18-65 are 11.9%. That is one out of two senior citizens and one out of ten of adults. With this amount of people requiring special access the city should do more to make sure they get it.
Downtown parking is a nightmare in itself imagine trying to find a handicap place, it is next to impossible. The places you do find are most often a distance from your destination. The sidewalk to get there is full of its own obstacles. Some sidewalks end with no cut in the curb to get up or down others have poles in the middle of them impossible to get around. Many buildings have ramps to steep to get up and bathrooms that cannot be used due to the size. These public buildings should have equal access to all. The ACC Northridge campus has only one wheelchair accessible bathroom out of all the buildings. Is that fair for anybody trying to get an education?
The cost to redo some of the buildings and construct new ramps is something that should be budgeted into the state spending. It is not that difficult to do these projects and if Austin wants to be a progressive city that is copied by others, they should give an individual the basic rights to get around and use the buildings it provides.
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I cannot agree more about the way our handicapped are treated. Being a disabled Vet myself I realize how hard it is to get around. Fortunately my mobility is only partially dampened and I have no need of a wheelchair or other apparatus as of yet, but I have many friends who are in them from fighting for their country. The elderly need help as well as those who have been put in that state for our freedom. If the needs of all cannot be met then fines should be incurred until they can. We all have a right to a certain quality of life, and that aspect should never be removed from those who can’t live the same way as others.
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