PHOENIX (CBS5) –
Governor’s Doug Ducey’s administration reversed a proposal that would have redirected nearly $1 million in funds mean to assist veterans returning from overseas.
In a statement from Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications for Ducey, Daniel Scarpinato wrote:
“Governor Ducey is committed to ensuring our veterans receive the services and funding they have both earned and deserve. He appreciates the feedback from the veteran community and will be adjusting his budget so that we best protect this fund, while also ensuring our veterans who have lost their lives have a proper resting place.”
The original plan called for taking $929,400 from the Military Family Relief Fund and using for maintaining at least three federally-built military cemeteries in Arizona. According to the agreement, the federal government provided the funds to build the state cemeteries, if the state agrees to maintaining them. Estimates put the yearly maintenance at $275,000.
The Military Family Relief Fund, however, set aside tax-payer funded money to be used for returning veterans. Veterans or their families could use the money for home improvements or for transporting family members to hospitals to visit wounded warriors.
“One of the things [the Military Family Relief Fund] does not do is bury veterans,” said David Lucier, a U.S. Army Special Forces veteran and veterans’ advocate.
Lucier said he and other veterans wrote and spoke with Ducey administration officials about their concerns over the governor’s budget plan.
Late Tuesday afternoon, after the governor’s reversal, Lucier was pleased.
“I think once the opposite perspective was presented, it became quite clear this was not the way to go,” he said.
