OUR VIEW: Don't leave our veterans in the lurch again
The state has spent more than $100 million to construct two new veterans homes: a 300-bed facility in Fresno and a 150-bed home in Redding. The federal government chipped in the rest to cover the total costs of close to $250 million. The facilities are on track to be completed early this year and could accept veterans as early as next year. Doing so would create an estimated 700 jobs in two depressed parts of the state and make good on promises state leaders have made to veterans for years. But Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed 2012-13 budget puts a halt to the projects.
Instead of the roughly $26 million needed to get staff and operate the new facilities, the governor has opted to mothball the facilities for another year. About $3.4 million is in the budget just to pay a small staff to watch over and maintain the brand-new buildings as they sit empty -- which equals about $280,000 a month. The homes' openings would be delayed until the beginning of 2014, if money is available at that time.
That plan makes absolutely no sense. The buildings have been built and now they'll be mothballed until the money can be found to operate them? California has 2 million veterans -- and the most homeless veterans of any state in the nation. The state has opened three veterans homes in Southern California since 2009 and, of the six homes open in the state, not one is located in the Central Valley. This is yet another slight to our veterans -- and to the valley.
Fresno Assemblyman Henry Perea is leading an effort to restore funding to the budget to open the homes. Already more than 700 people have submitted letters in support of his effort. Regional, state and congressional delegations must join Perea in applying pressure and finding a way to fund these veterans homes.
Everyone knows money in the state is tight and it's true that veterans homes are expensive to operate. But it's senseless for the government to invest money in a project and then pull back just as it's ready to launch -- especially when homeless and disabled veterans are among those who are left in the lurch.
