Accessibility is Just Good Business
by Gary Ray Rogers
The below article appeared in the San Luis Obispo Tribune this May. It was
written as a viewpoint on the Op Ed page.
There has been some discussion recently about accessibility of businesses
for people with disabilities. Business should make their facilities and
operations as accessible as possible for two main reasons. Not just
because the Americans with Disabilities Act requires it, but more
importantly, because the law of economics demands it.
According to the
latest census, people with disabilities comprise one out of five Americans
and for people who are over 65, (the fastest growing segment of the
population), almost 1/2 have some kind of disability limiting one or more
major life functions. People with disabilities spend money, and if your
business is as accessible as possible, then you don't leave out this large
and growing segment of the population.
I am person who uses a wheelchair and crutches, and an engineer whose
business is to help all people who live and work in this County do so with
more comfort and safety; and to promote and increase access.
To
businesses with merchandise for sale, I ask that you make your aisles
wider. The code says, "all aisles serving both sides are a minimum of 44
inches in width", and I know many business do not do have this aisle
access. I also ask restaurants and shopping malls in particular to install
more than the required number of accessible parking stalls.
For
"parking
that is provided for the public as clients, guests or employees" the
minimum by law is to have at least one van accessible space, and in
general one accessible parking place for every 25 parking places in the
lot or structure. But the data now available from the Department of Motor
Vehicles show one out of seventeen vehicles on the road has a disabled
access parking placard or license plate. Parking lots should have one
accessible parking stall for every 17 parking places.
In this tax season I also want to call attention to the special tax
credits and deductions available to businesses which try to increase
accessibility. The Disabled Access Credit for small businesses will give
small businesses (those with gross tax receipts of less than one million
dollars or fewer than 30 employees) a direct tax credit for eligible
expenditures. For more information see IRS Form 8826 or ask your tax
professional. There is also a deduction for businesses for costs of
removing barriers to people who are disabled. (See chapter 8 of IRS Form
535 Business Expenses) And, as well, there is a tax credit for businesses
hiring individuals from vocational rehabilitation referrals, that is,
people who have a physical or mental disability resulting in a substantial
handicap to employment. All of this information is available at the IRS
web page.
I ask that businesses not only do the right thing, but the smart
businesslike thing and work to make their establishments
accessible. Accessible businesses attract more customers. It is a good
investment, and tax deductible.