February 9, 2003

Attorney General Lisa Madigan
500 S. Second St
Springfield, IL 62706

Dear Ms. Madigan:

Today, I read your web site on Disabilities and the major problem is not really addressed. It is known as ACCESSIBILITY.

Unified Voice for Disabled American has been fighting for accessibility almost three years. Progress has been made on the inside of buildings. The problem is getting from outside to inside.

Accessibility means automatic doors, openings in sidewalks and curbs that are accessible for any size wheel chair or automatic cart, cane and walker and correct handicap parking spaces. These are the three main items that have to be addressed NOW. Persons with disabilities have been discriminated long enough and without the above we are not going to get independence and our young people don't have a chance.

Ms. Madigan, when you were a Senator, you and Yolanda Treiguts met with Walgreens and brought my letters with pictures and talked to them about their violations. It was agreed that they would take a survey of their stores in Illinois and make necessary corrections. It was also agreed that they would put an automatic shopping cart in each of the Walgreens stores to make it more convenient for people with disabilities to shop.

Yolanda told me the agreement and I wrote Walgreens thanking them for their cooperation and putting the automatic shopping cart in their stores. I received a phone call from Lisa Dana, Illinois Bureau for Disabilities asking me why I told Walgreens I was canceling the complaint against Walgreens after all the work she has been doing on this complaint. I informed Lisa Dana that I never told them I was canceling my complaint against Walgreens it was a thank you letter. I told her to check with you because you and Yolanda Treiguts were the ones that had the initial meeting. Lisa informed me that she had 89 stores with access violations so far. I informed Lisa Dana I was never informed of this and was told by the Illinois Bureau for Disabilities that they don't answer complaints or phone calls of complaints. The problem with this office is arrogance and the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing. We made an agreement we would be in touch by e-mail or phone calls to keep communications between us. Lisa, personally checked out the Irving Park and Barrington Rds. store and found it to be in complete violation of the Accessibility Law. This is the one you presented to Walgreens and built after 1993.

Let us add another complaint against this Bureau. There was another complaint against the Charter One Bank in Hanover Park. I received a letter from your Illinois Bureau for Disabilities there was no violation at the North Avenue Bank in Chicago. I informed your Illinois Bureau for Disabilities that their inspector went to the wrong bank. North Avenue is perfect. The Hanover Bank has never been inspected. It was checked out by us to make sure it met all the ADA Accessibility Law.

The promise of communication between the Unified Voice of Disabled America and the Illinois Bureau for Disabilities is short lived. I asked Lisa for her list of the Walgreens stores in violation so we know the cities and suburbs it covers. I asked for the inspector's name from her office that wrote or told Pate Phillips the Walgreens at Irving Park and Barrington Roads. met all the Accessibility Laws. There was no violation. We are talking cities and suburbs not making sure the ADA Accessibility Law are enforced correctly and the only way to do this is to make them accountable. I told Lisa Dana this.

I received a letter from Walgreens that they took their survey and mentioned one store that they were fixing. I wrote him back immediately telling him they could not fix any stores. They had to compare their list of stores with Lisa Dana and her list. Walgreens does nothing without the Illinois Attorney General's office. I have not heard from anyone. I called Lisa Dana last Monday for the status of Walgreens but have not had a reply. Lisa Dana got a copy of both letters.

The Unified Voice of Disabled America wrote a detailed letter to the Justice Dept just before September 11, 2002. Our correspondence was burned with every other letter sent to Washington. This letter explained to the Justice Dept. the lack of cooperation with the Illinois Attorney General and the Illinois Bureau of Disabilities. They were sent all correspondence and pictures of our complaints and complaints filed. I had talked to them personally and asked their advice and the steps to be followed. I have been in touch with them by phone since then.

Please check out our web site. www.bonewits.net/HTM-0.htm The Government Access Board had a meeting in Portland, Oregon in October of 2002 and all the suggestions needed to make the corrections on existing property and new property. We have posted the Government Access Board's last bulletin confirming what was proposed is now a suggestion to all states.

Ms. Madigan, when is money and politics ever going to stop getting in the way of making sure the ADA Accessibility Law is put first. When are politicians going to work with us instead of for us? Once the FOR US is stopped and WORKING WITH US is the first in all of your minds only then persons with disabilities are going to be treated with dignity and independence. Persons with disabilities are part of the US Constitution.

The Unified Voice for Disabled is asking you what you and your office is going to do about Walgreens, the suburbs that violated our rights and the Illinois Bureau of Disabilities not taking action against Walgreens? We know what are rights are. We have been very well informed.

Ms. Madigan, the Unified Voice of Disabled America and several others would like a meeting with you. There are several things we want to discuss especially how this administration is finally going to work for l.5 million persons with disabilities by making us be part of enforcing our own ADA Accessibility Law and working with the legistration.

Cordially yours,



UNIFIED VOICE FOR DISABLED AMERICANS