VETERANS PACKAGE WORTH PAYING FORSenate Assistant Majority Leader Tarryl Clark says that the proposed bipartisan $51 million package of tax breaks and assistance for veterans “is worth every penny.”
“This is one area of new government spending that Democrats and Republicans agree that we should get together to enact,” said Clark. Governor Tim Pawlenty announced that package at a press conference on Monday attended by a bipartisan group of legislators.
Clark, who co-chairs the Warrior to Citizen Campaign, said that the emphasis of assistance should be helping returning veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. “Men and women returning from their service in the Global War on Terror ought to be the priority right now,” said Clark. “The faster they can be reintegrated into civilian life through jobs and education, the better off they’ll be.”
The bipartisan veteran’s package builds on the 2007 veterans’ aid package that was passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor. New proposals include:
• A 100% exemption from state income tax for military pay and pensions;
• Increased grants for county veterans services officers;
• Increased outreach and assistance for returning soldiers;
• Incentives to businesses to hire veterans and provide assistance during military deployments
According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs, about one-third of the adult homeless population has served in the military. “The VA estimates that 195,000 veterans nationwide are homeless on any given night, and about twice that number are homeless in the course of a year,” said Clark.
“The parts of this package that deal with outreach, assistance and grants to veterans service officers will help reduce the numbers of returning vets who fall into homelessness. And, while this package is far-reaching in many areas, it comes up a little short on addressing the housing needs for returning veterans and their families. Many of them are caught up in the mortgage crisis as well, add turmoil in their job situation and other factors and that can lead to the loss of a home,” said Clark.
“I hope we can address additional housing assistance and for veterans as part of this package as well, along with tackling the issues involved with the causes and prevention of homelessness among vets,” said Clark. “If there’s one thing, one point of absolute agreement between all parties engaged in this discussion, it’s that no veteran should be without a home – we can do more in this area.”
It's good to see someone whose actions match their rhetoric.
