Below are Dignity official political recommendations. The 2010 election is over. With over 60,000 "hits" to this web site since June 2009, people with disabilities and their supporters played a significant role in removing many of theses people below:

2010 ELECTION. These are recommendations regarding the people in Florida Government who have hurt people with disabilities legislation, and people in government who do not respect the civil rights of people with disabilities. Having a Capitol Building loaded with ADA barriers and a Florida Cabinet that looks the other way is unacceptable. The major politicians, listed below, do not belong in Florida government and many have been asked to withdraw from their respective public office and campaigns for higher office. People with disabilities and their supporters need to know about these elected officials and a few other key players in Florida Government. -–Denny R. Wood, MSW, www.dignity4disabled.com, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Cell: 305-253-2563

 November 22, 2009, EDITED September 29, 2010.

U. S. SENATE

CHARLIE CRIST NOT RECOMMENDED FOR U.S. SENATE OR ANY OTHER POSITION.

LOST! See Mission Accomplished in main menu of this web site.

CHARLIE CRIST was a Florida Attorney General for two terms (8 Years) and did not have an ADA required restrooms that people in wheelchairs could access the toilet stalls on the floors where his offices were. He chose not to address the issue for 8 years. Mainly, these restrooms were on the Lower Level and Plaza Level of the Capitol Building and other governor offices on different floors in this building. As Governor, the same situation continued but the Governor, in charge of the Department of Management Services in the Capitol Building and at their main office at 4050 Esplanade Way 32399-0950 simply continued the status quo partially listed in the “Report on ADA Capitol Violations". Restrooms were remodeled near the cafeteria and the Cabinet meeting room but not to provide wheelchair stall use.

The U.S. SENATE and CONGRESS and President Bush, Senior, passed the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) legislation in 1990. This is not a legislative body where we need an ADA lawbreaker going to Washington to represent Floridians who have over 20% of people with disabilities.

As Governor, Governor Crist, in 2009, recommended to the special session a “5 million dollar raid” on the Disadvantaged Transportation Trust Fund”. As a State Senator, in 1994, he was one of 3 senators to vote against a $1.50 increase on auto tag renewals to enhance this fund. The House adopted this item, and the Senate did not in the Special Session in 2009. To the credit of the Florida House of Representatives the item was quickly removed and the issue did not go to the conference committee. This trust fund is used to provide moneys to Special Transportation Systems for the disabled across Florida. Each time an auto license tag is renewed Floridians contribute to this very special trust fund.

MARCO RUBIO, Ex-Speaker of the House.

WON. Won because the Florida media would not write about his anti-women civil rights position as Speaker on the ERA.

Marco Rubio, as Speaker of the House, did nothing to remove the ADA barriers in the House listed here, The Capitol Report. His history as Speaker of the House included people with disabilities picketing his Miami Office. He single handedly killed the Federal Equal Rights Amendment by refusing to refer this resolution to a committee for a fair hearing. He was most brutal of all the Speakers in the 7 consecutive years the republican leadership bottled up this civil rights amendment. He is a major threat to the Health Care national legislation.

GOVERNOR

GOVERNOR

ALEX SINK – NOT RECOMMENDED FOR OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

LOST. SEE MISSION ACCOMPLISHED IN MAIN MENU.

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, Alex Sink has occupied offices in which there are no restrooms that are ADA compliant for guests in wheelchairs or potential employees in wheelchairs in the Capitol. As a former Bank of America administrator she is fully aware of the ADA requirements. This former employment was disclosed to Denny R. Wood, when she was a candidate and she was advised of the ADA Capitol violations. Her role to date is to perpetuate the ADA violations Status Quo. Many State of Florida buildings other than the capitol building are out of compliance.

It gets worse. The Chief Financial Office has all the paper work and signed checks to contractors on the restrooms on her floors and other floors of the capitol building that were renovated, and still did not bring the restrooms into ADA Compliance Sink could expose the entire rotten system on the failure of the cabinet officers to comply with the ADA.

 When the Attorney General’s Office sends you elsewhere, as their formal and only response, we will continue to request that the Attorney General resigns and also withdraw from the Governor’s race.

.JEFF ATWATER, RUNNING FOR FINANCIAL OFFICE CABINET POST.

JEFF ATWATER-NOT RECOMMENDED FOR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER OR ANY OTHER ELECTED OFFICE

WON. HE WILL BE RIGHT AT HOME WITH NO RESTROOMS FOR PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS. HIS PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE 4TH FLOOR AND GALLERY DID NOT HAVE RESTROOMS FOR PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS.

As President of the Senate, Senator Atwater has enjoyed a restroom outside his office that does not have an accessible stall for people in wheelchairs. It is regarded as a joke at the capitol as it has an ADA required push button mechanism, a modification, to provide wheelchair access into the restroom, which does not have a stall for someone in a wheelchair to use. This joke has been passed on to several President of the Senate elected officials, since it was identified in writing the Senate Sergeant of Arms, Donald Severance and President of the Senate in 2004. There are other barriers in the Senate side of the Florida Legislature. Common 1972 law, chapter 255.21, required handrails on ramps. The Senate only has 3 ramps to the capitol and these ramps have yet to follow the 255.21 law, reaffirmed in 1989, 1994 and 1997. Handrails on ramps is a no brainer, but not in the Florida Senate. And many restrooms on the Senate side are not accessible by persons in wheelchairs. If elected, as a cabinet member, we cannot expect an attitude change in Jeff Atwater.

On March 9 or 10, 2009, Denny R. Wood made a request to the President of the Senate’s Office to fire Donald Severance for his participation in the perpetuation of Senate ADA violations. Mr. Severance in perpetuating the Barriers. Apparently, The Jeff Atwater position on ADA barriers and retaining staff that perpetuate the ADA Barriers in the Senate is okay.

DAN GELBER – NOT RECOMMENDED FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE

LOST.

As a House of Representatives member Dan Gelber was sought often to help with the Florida Paraplegic Association’s amendments in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Looking for sponsors was like pulling teeth. Each session FPA turned to Mr. Gelber for help. He was aware of the Report on ADA Capitol Barriers. He was elected to the Senate in 2008. His record from 2004 for people with disabilities assistance is zero. If elected Attorney General, his probable level for helping with people with disabilities issues would probably be zero. Ambitious, we will see him again and again running for public office.

OTHERS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PUBLIC OFFICE OR RETENTION IN STATE GOVERNMENT

STEVE RUMPH – INSPECTOR GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Mr. Rumph was the correct person to give the Report on ADA Capitol Barriers. He was instrumental in insuring that NO CORRECTIONS would be made. And that added renovations to restrooms were done incorrectly. He serves at the pleasure of the Governor.

EARNEST W. SUMNER, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SERGEANT OF ARMS

DONALD D. SEVERANCE, SENATE SERGEANT OF ARMS.

Both respective Sergeant of Arms were the correct people to report barriers in their respective chambers. Both elected to “blow off” the Report on ADA Capitol Barriers”. It will be interesting to see how long they continue to perpetuate the barriers in their respective chambers. The new Speaker and President would be wise to ask both of these ADA violators to resign for perpetuating the ADA violations still pending in the ADA Capitol Report at www.dignity4disabled.com. Both of these men have copies of this document.

In 2009, on a visit for the Officer Down Statue, I noted new barriers added to the House of Representatives and saw no barriers of substance removed in both chambers of the legislature. I went to the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate and asked that both of these men be removed from their positions. I will make the same request to the new President of the Senate and Speaker of the House in November.

EX-GOVERNOR JEB BUSH

Ex- governor Jeb Bush successfully evaded ADA requirements at the Florida Capitol and other state buildings for 8 years. He placed people on the Department of Management to run Commission on Disability Issues who also would not make waves about the Capitol and other State Office Buildings. With his connections to President Bush he had no fear of an ADA Lawsuit from the politically connected Department of Justice/Civil Rights Section, who was aware of the Florida Capitol Building ADA Status.

The 2006 Jeb Bush VETO of over a million dollars for quadriplegics will be long remembered. This veto is listed at www.dignity4disabled.com and will remain on web sites until Jeb Bush meets his maker or restitution to the quadriplegic population of Florida is made by Jeb Bush. And that includes the matching Federal funds that this appropriation would have yielded.

EX-LT. GOVERNOR TONI JENNINGS

SCOTT PICKED HER FOR THE TRANSISION TEAM. WHICH IS A LOSS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

Lt. Governor Toni Jennings was entrusted with the Report on ADA Capitol Barriers. She asked the question and got a written answer. The Lt. Governor then proceeded to do NOTHING to do the necessary steps to make the Florida Capitol Building and other state buildings accessible for people with disabilities. Aside from making the coin operated phones in the Capitol accessible to people with disabilities overnight in the late 1980’s, this is her legacy to people with disabilities. (There are no longer any coin phones in the Capitol, due to the emergence of cell phones.)

COMMISSION ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

These people on this commission are appointed by the governor and the respective Staff for this commission is urged to resign for their lack of leadership in addressing the physical barriers at the Capitol Building and other State Buildings. They serve at the pleasure of the Governor. These barriers are illegal. The illegal barriers are Americans with Disabilities Act violations. Such barriers preclude employment of people with disabilities. Employment of people with disabilities should be a major program within the State of Florida government as an example to corporate America. An examination of the State of Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation will yield poor statistics even in their hiring of people in wheelchairs to be counselors. All of these people on this Commission need to resign. They need to assist their candidate for Governor outside of this Commission.

These recommendations are compiled by Denny R. Wood, pro bono lobbyist of 13 sessions, from 1974 to 2006. The lobbying was for issues regarding people with disabilities who could not represent themselves at the State Capitol. These people are the blind and quadriplegics. The last three sessions were 2004, 2005 and 2006. Most session expenses were paid by nonprofit organizations of people with disabilities. No salary or pay was ever taken. The Report on ADA Capitol Violations, posted at www.dignity4disabled.com was ignored after presented to all of the correct people in State Government in Tallahassee and to the Department of Justice in Washington, DC. . It was not a full survey of the Capitol Building. Even the web site, www.dignity4disabled.com is hosted and maintained by Paul Kruger at no charge due to the nature of its content and the dedication of Paul Kruger to assist certain nonprofit organizations and worthy causes. Too accurately report on what happens at the State Legislature, one has to be there to see it and experience the session first hand. While I love the Florida legislative process, the process leaves a lot to be desired. ---Denny R. Wood, MSW, pro bono lobbyist, in a wheelchair,13 sessions since 1974.