SIGN OF THE TIMES: VETS' ADVOCATES SAY PROPOSED STATE BUDGET CUTS ARE TOO DEEP -- Proposed cuts in Connecticut budget would hinder veterans' services say advocates. -- VA Watchdog dot Org - VA NEWS FLASH

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SIGN OF THE TIMES: VETS' ADVOCATES SAY PROPOSED STATE

BUDGET CUTS ARE TOO DEEP -- Proposed cuts in Connecticut

budget would hinder veterans' services say advocates.

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Advocates for veterans say governor’s budget proposal cuts too deep

By MICHAEL GANNON
Norwich Bulletin

Connecticut’s Soldiers’ Sailors’ and Marines’ Fund was established 90 years ago to assist needy wartime veterans and their families.

Now veterans and veterans’ advocates hope to curb cuts to the fund’s staff recommended by Gov. M. Jodi Rell to help balance the state budget.

Rell’s two-year budget proposal would eliminate eight positions from the fund’s 12-person staff, a move advocates believe could greatly hinder their mission.

“Cutbacks like that would add so much delay to the process,” said Harvey Daggett of Ashford, state commander of the American Legion.

Daggett said when a veteran comes to the fund for assistance, it begins an intensive process of time and paperwork, as the needs are investigated and assessed. In many cases, he said, the Legion’s 120 volunteer service officers throughout the state can assist an applicant with paperwork and red tape before the application even reaches official levels.

He said Connecticut has 300,000 veterans, including 27,000 Legion members.

State Sen. Andrew Maynard, D-Stonington, is Senate chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee. He said he and his House counterpart, state Rep. Ted Graziani, D-Ellington, hope to schedule talks with the Rell administration in the coming weeks to try to lessen the cuts.

“We know the (financial) challenges,” Maynard said. “We’re very concerned because we want
the best possible services for veterans and their families, and I’m sure the governor would agree.”

Maynard said the fund has a principal balance of about $60 million, and pays its costs and benefits from accumulated interest. He said the fund is more critical than ever, with more soldiers coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan who will need services.

Fund officials have suggested their own savings, including eliminating two positions by attrition, reducing the capital budget to zero and continuing to reduce expenses.

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posted by Larry Scott
Founder and Editor
VA Watchdog dot Org
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