Jim Black wants to give free eye exams to stay out of prison.
In court papers filed Monday, the former House speaker outlined an 11-page business plan for the optometry clinic and said it could be running within days. He has been an optometrist for more than 40 years, often seeing patients when not in Raleigh on legislative business, The Charlotte Observer reports.
Black suggests he could give the free exams five days a week from his own offices, giving 2,000 exams a year at a benefit to the taxpayers of $543,882.
"This plan would allow Dr. Black to serve his punishment in a way that is beneficial to the community at large," his attorneys wrote. "This plan would save the taxpayers considerable money, and would provide indigent children with corrective vision services that would otherwise go unattended."
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Re: Alms for the poor?
Jim Black's idea is a great one, but his execution is a tad bit off.
Instead of a free clinic in Charlotte, one of our wealthiest counties, Mr. Black should be relocated to an eastern North Carolina county such as Martin or Roberson county. The citizens of these counties could use free optometric services for their children who may not have any health insurance.
Mr. Black of course would be a guest of the federal correction system residing in one of the county penal facilities while working in that county. This would truly enable indiginent members of our society to receive additional healthcare.
Mr. Black's suggestion to remain under house arrest while working out of his current office and relaxing in luxury at home in the evenings,
smacks of the child caught cheating in school and suggesting to his principal that for his penance he can stay at home and do yard work for his family and friends to atone for his misdeeds.
Mr. Black is proposing giving 8 eye exams per day for 50 weeks a year, totaling 2,000 exams per year at a cost of $271.94 per exam.
Mr. Black is not proposing much of a penance for his misdeeds. Hopefully the Judge will give him the correct one.