<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)">
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal>Hi Everyone,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>I called Mr. Morton yesterday afternoon as well and gave him
my piece. I explained to him that people who are visually impaired or blind have
gotten a lot more independent and more opportunities than back in 1947. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>I explained to him that I am a dual citizen of Switzerland
and the United States and that if I would have had my dog in Switzerland and
moved afterwards, the Board could have restricted me getting trained by someone
else than one of their “approved/licensed” trainers.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>There are excellent Guide Dog schools elsewhere than in
California and they have trainers that are extremely knowledgeable and even
lecture. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>I also emphasized that the Board is taking money based on
expenses that the schools have and that these funds can therefore not be spent
on training or guide dog teams (or the development thereof). I told him that
the donors are most likely not aware of the fact that some of the schools
expenses are licensing fees for California. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>The Board should be forced to disclose that fact to donors
and the Board seems to prevent schools from providing services rather than
rendering them. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>If a school sends their trainer to California, the trainer
and school spend money in California and support the economy in numerous ways.
Why should they be prevented from providing services because of the Board and
what has the Board really done for us?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Why should there be a fee increase to sustain a Board that
lost its purpose? Therefore, the bill should really not be supported, since it
would sustain a Board that is useless and has lost its purpose. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Regards,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Roger Oberholzer<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>