Whereas the ultimate goal of the National Federation of the Blind is to secure the complete integration of the blind into the larger society, sharing the same rights and privileges as well as the same responsibilities and liabilities as others and;
whereas the National Federation of the Blind has long recognized the fact that the real problem of blindness is not physically being blind, but is found in the negative and erroneous social attitudes about blindness - attitudes which portray the blind as helpless, hopeless human beings rather than as equal partners in society and;
whereas, because of these mistaken attitudes, the blind are often deprived socially, legally and economically - a situation which has resulted in massive unemployment or under-employment, placing many blind persons in a condition of severe economic need and;
whereas, in recognition of this social problem, the Maryland General Assembly has seen fit to balance the social scales by establishing a state tax exemption of $6000.00 on property owned by blind persons and;
whereas, due to the current sharp rate of inflation, several concerned Maryland legislators have recently introduced bills to increase the amount of the property tax exemption;
now, therefore, be it resolved by the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, in convention assembled in the city of College Park, Maryland, this 27th day of October,1979;
that this organization and its members, in recognition of the economic discriminations which are practiced against the blind, go on record in the 1980 session of the General Assembly in support of an increase in the tax exemption to
$9000.00 annually and;
be it further resolved that this position is taken solely because of the current social climate and economic dis crimination which exists, and not by reason of any belief that the blind are innately less fortunate or less able to share in the responsibilities and liabilities of full citizenship and;·
be it further resolved that, as soon as the Maryland General Assembly has established an adequate supplement to Social Securities' SSI program so that blind persons who truly are in economic need will have sufficient funds with which to live, or as soon as rehabilitation services for the blind are improved in this state so that the blind have decent training which results in improved employment opportunities, this organization will return to the General Assembly on this same topic for two reasons
to thank the Assembly for reco9Dizing the economic implications of society's attitudes about blindness by previously granting the tax exemption and,
secondly, to take all possible steps to eliminate the ex emption altogether, so that we will have the opportunity to share in social responsibility alongside our sighted peers and;
be it further resolved that the president and/or legislative chairman of this organization send a letter to each member of the General Assembly in support of an increase in the tax exemption to $9000.00 annually.