Dear Secretary:

Maybe all of you people need to start working for me so my DECEMBER INVITATION is maximum successful as possible. My plan is to save jobs first and create over a million new jobs.

We need to get government working in the right direction. I need your help to enhance tourism. And I have the best plan on the table.

I posted this Part 1 and Part 2 in newspapers on Saturday, and will continue to do so until DECEMBER:

Part 1

We can save over 500,000 jobs in tourism related jobs. Possibly create a million more jobs in Florida. The Florida Paraplegic Association (FPA) President has asked Scott to personally mail all pool owners that the ADA Deadline for installing swimming pool lifts is March 2012. This includes hotels and motels. It is essential for tourism that they meet the pool lift deadline. The legislature and Scott need to create many financial incentives to build more tourist attractions. Tourism must be doubled, and possibly tripled. In December the FPA will invite families, who have a family member in a wheelchair, from all over the WORLD, to vacation to in Florida. "Build it and they will come". We have built it, and they will come. Since 1974 we have been building a wheelchair and other disabilities barrier free state. Hotels and motels must alter their web sites and include a list of items that the FPA has suggested to lures these wheelchair families to Florida. The www.visitflorida.com web site needs revamping to lure these families with a wheelchair member to visit Florida. Since 1974 we have been building a "Wheelchair Utopia" state. We will assure these wheelchair users that they will find accessible restrooms everywhere, fully accessible State of Florida rest areas, many with family toilet rooms, accessible hotels, sidewalks with curb cuts, wheelchair accessible taxi's, wheelchair accessible buses, state of the art disabled parking spaces, wheelchair accessible tourist attractions. Our ports and airports are fully accessible. A tourist in a wheelchair must be told that they can ride the buses all day long for $5. We have wheelchair van rentals all over the state. This invitation in December, would be more successful if the Governor, and State resources were involved. We may have to create a special web site to enhance this invitation. We are now in the 6th month of straight job losses in Florida. It is past time to get to work. We have put our plan on the table, and we have not seen any other plan from our elected officials who have promised to develop jobs.

PART II

To enhance tourism to lure families from all over the WORLD who have a family member in a wheelchair our Florida hotels and motels need to upgrade their web sites to include pool photos with a wheelchair lift; showers in the accessible rooms showing the wall fold down seat; and how all the elements of the hotel is fully wheelchair accessible:

1. If a limo is available to get to the airport to the hotel and back.

2. Is the wheelchair user pool lift installed?

3. Is the pool heated November through May?

4. Are buses serving the hotel wheelchair lift equipped?

5. Are taxi's serving the hotel wheelchair accessible?

6. Is the motel connected to a sidewalk?

7. How far from the motel can one in a wheelchair go on the sidewalk from the hotel?

8. Photos on hotel web sites of pools must have the pool lift in the photo.

9. If a wheelchair is available by the front desk for elderly and

frail who are just worn out.

(Motel 6 has sent our organization a letter, and all their motels will meet the pool lift installation deadline.)

PART 3

We need the www.visitflorida.com revamped. It does not have a line that would encourage a family with a wheelchair member to visit our "Wheelchair Utopia Florida"

Frankly, we need a special web site just for wheelchair visitors. The best agency to build such a web site is the STATE of Florida Department of Transportation. I'd recommend such a web site be coordinated by Dean Perkins, DOT coordinator since most of the site would be transportation related.

Part 4

The following is the State of Florida "crown jewel" To build it cost millions of taxpayer dollars. It is time to reveal it.

"Below is a link to our Rest Area Chart, which describes the facilities available at each rest area.

Supplied Dean Perkins, FLA DOT ADA COORDINATOR

http://www.dot.state.fl.us/statemaintenanceoffice/Rest_Area_Listing.shtm

Part 5

This is what we can guarantee every person in the world who takes a chance to vacation in Florida:

Florida leads the WORLD and "almost" all states in wheelchair and disability laws:

1. Buildings and facilities built after 1974 were built with ramps, wide doors and restrooms.

2. We began providing curb ramps in new sidewalk construction in 1974.

3. Our disabled parking is state of the art, marked in blue, and it is everywhere.

4. Our State DOT has made all the rest stops accessible. Many have family restrooms.

5. Our hotels and motels built after 1974 are accessible.

6. Along came the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 and the older buildings were required to modify the buildings. Many hotels and motels have complied, voluntarily or by legal ADA law suits.

7. We have laws that allow bona fide service dogs for the disabled.

8. Many Airports are serviced by Wheelchair Taxi’s.

9. Many Airports are serviced by buses with wheelchair lifts.

10. Many of our counties have wheelchair accessible bus fleets.

11. We have many wheelchairs lift equipped van rental businesses.

12. Our parks are supposed to be barrier free, but some are still not ADA compliant.

13. Our trains are wheelchair accessible.

14. Our ports are wheelchair accessible.

15. Cruise lines are accessible.

16. All swimming pools must have wheelchair lifts in by March 1012. We expect all the major Hotel chains to be in full compliance.

17. We have wheelchair accessible boats for going fishing, diving and snorkeling.

Part 6

We need a letter to go out to all the Florida Pool Owners covered under ADA. It is a big list. They need to be encouraged, in the name of tourism enhancement to install the pool lifts. While the motels and hotels are very important, we need all the other pools accessible. They cost about $4,000. See the attachment for a pool lift I use, and it will all come back to them, with tourists coming to Florida in wheelchairs to swim at the hotels and motels.

I am no longer thinking the governor should author such a letter, he has too much negative baggage. Perhaps the new secretary should get involved.

Education lesson: Swimming is the only practical method of exercise for people in wheelchairs. With a mask and snorkel lesson they can swim for hours. The next thing they will demand are scuba lessons. And trips to the reefs.

Part 7

The Florida motels and hotels need encouragement to revamp their web sites with the content of Part 2.

Part 8

The legislature must create massive incentives for people building tourist attractions. Developers must be given reasons to begin such tourist construction.

Also, the tolls must vanish for tourists.

Bed taxes, also must be addressed.

When the tourist goes home, he or she needs to be our "ambassador" to their family and friends about how great their vacation was in Florida. And they will also return again, year after year.

Part 9

The goal must be established to double and then triple tourism visits in Florida.

Part 10

The State and Tourism industry has got to get our " Wheelchair Utopia Message" to every city in the WORLD. This would be a novel first time public relations "first", inviting tourists from every country in the world to bring their family and vacation in Florida.

Part 11

The State and Tourism need to know that even wheelchair users in Florida to not travel abroad because there are no wheelchair restrooms at foreign ports and airports, much less a wheelchair accessible bus or taxi. Or a wheelchair van rental business. WE DO NOT TRAVEL ABROAD. This is the same with people in wheelchairs all over the world. Our state can guarantee a barrier free state.

Conclusion. The economy is not going to get better. Businesses will not relocate. Housing Starts cannot be counted on for many years. Even some major solar businesses have failed. Politicians have filled the newspapers with too many empty promises about jobs. We have lost jobs for 6 straight months.

Enhancing tourism visits is quick. With the changes outlined above, we can jump-start the Florida Economy in 2012.

Denny Wood, President

Florida Paraplegic Association, Inc.

305-253-2563

www.dignity4disabled.com

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cc: Many others too many to list.....