Vol. 4, No. 1, Jan/Feb 1996	Previous Issues Subscribe to AT Messenger Download PDF Viewer
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Taking a Look Before You Leap

by Michael J. Cooper

Imagine this business scenario: a small business owner seeks to invest in a new business. The contractor's estimate to renovate a suitable existing location is over $70,000, one third of which is attributable to one time. The suggestion is made that the cost of that one item is absolute. Should the business owner get a second opinion as to whether the cost is reasonable or necessary? Where would the opinion come from? If an objective opinion was available free of charge, would the business owner be well advised to solicit the opinion?

This example is taken from a real-life situation that recently occurred. The unfortunate aspect is that the "item" was compliance with the ADA, and no one ever called the local Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center (DBTAC) to obtain a second opinion. What's worse is that the local building inspector in this case inadvertently quoted a provision in the ADA that was designed to protect a business' bottom line, and misconstrued it to say that the business had to invest in a cost that was probably beyond the scope of the ADA's intent. Further, the business owner was probably never informed that the IRS makes available a tax credit to small business for up to 50% of eligible expenditures (between $250 and $20,250) to make their facilities accessible.

The good news is that you and your associates can "look before you leap" by calling your local DBTAC, the Mid-Atlantic ADA Information Center. Properly implemented, the ADA offers a generous return for every dollar invested. Not only can communities look forward to reducing the amount spent in dependency payments to people with disabilities (approximately $200 billion per year at present), but with 49 million people with disabilities in America, businesses can also increase market share.

Reprinted with permission from "ADA In Action", Fall 1995