To the Editor:
The people of Missouri have a history of supporting military veterans. For example, Governor Parson’s press release for last year’s Veterans Day:
“On this Veterans Day, I encourage all Missourians to honor the service, sacrifice, and courage of our nation’s veterans. These brave men and women deserve the highest appreciation and utmost respect not just today but every day,...”
Unfortunately, nice sentiments do not translate to action; funding is required.
The state organization that oversees veteran’s affairs is the Missouri Veterans Commission (MVC). The MVC manages the operation and maintenance of State Veterans Homes, State Veterans Cemeteries, Veterans Service Officers Program, Veterans Grant Program and other veterans’ needs. Stable funding is vital to fulfilling the mission of providing support to Missouri veterans and this is the problem.
For example, last year six of the state’s seven nursing homes for veterans stopped admitting new residents because of an ongoing staffing shortage linked to unreasonably low pay rates. In one category of nurses, the turnover rate was over 100%. This situation forced the Missouri Veterans Commission (MVC) to request additional funding, stating that without supplemental funds, the continued operation of the homes was “at risk.”
MVC funding comes from three major sources: Department of Veteran Affairs, Missouri Gaming Commission and the Missouri Veterans Health and Care Fund. The decision to tie MVC funding to gaming was a well-intentioned budget gimmick. However, declining revenues from gaming is the primary cause of the shortage of qualified personnel at the veterans’ homes, which led to empty beds at the state Veterans’ Homes, resulting in reduced reimbursement for the VA. BOTTOM LINE: Instability in these revenues makes long-term budgetary planning problematic and often increases operating expenses.
The best solution is to stop resourcing the MVC from Missouri Gaming Commission and return to resourcing from general revenue as a yearly budget item. This would provide budgetary stability for the critical veterans’ services resourced by the MVC as well as enable the efficiencies achievable by programming activities across budget years.
If you, or someone you know, would like more information about this important issue or you would like to contact your Missouri State Representative/Senator about this important issue, please contact Diane James, Quartermaster, VFW O.W.L. Post 3410 in Belle for more information at post3410@movfw.org or call her at 573-291-2842.
Sincerely,
Diane James, Quartermaster
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
O.W.L. Post 3410
Belle
