Editor’s note: This article is by By Keith Whitcomb Jr., of the Bennington Banner, in which it was first published Feb. 24, 2015.
[B]ENNINGTON — For the second time, a local veteran is returning a state service medal in protest over the Shumlin administration reportedly considering the use of gambling to help fund the Vermont Veterans’ Home.
On Monday, Don Keelan, of Arlington, a former lance corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, gave his Vermont National Defense — 1977 medal to Rep. Mary Morrissey, R-Bennington, to return to Gov. Peter Shumlin.
Morrissey, whose father, Gerald Morrissey, served in the Navy during World War II, said she will return her father’s state medals as well.
The medal was created by the state a number of years ago to honor those in the military and those who served during combat. A veteran can ask to be presented with them.
Morrissey’s late father had been awarded both versions.
While much of the Vermont Veterans’ Home expenses are covered by Medicare, private insurance, and the residents themselves in some cases, it takes a few million from the state’s General Fund. Last year, then-Secretary of Administration Jeb Spaulding issued a report discussing ways the home might lessen its use of general funds. Many things were mentioned, including the implementation of some kind of lottery-style game.
Keelan said he felt that such a method would be a “gimmick,” unsuitable both in principle and practice, and in November returned his service medal in protest, only to have it given back to him by Spaulding at the Christmas tree lighting event in Montpelier when the gambling idea had been nixed.
Now, gambling may be back on, according to Keelan, citing articles in the Rutland Herald.
Monday’s Herald features comments from the new Secretary of Administration, Justin Johnson, saying everything is back on the table. In the article, Johnson says he has not examined the numbers involved yet. He also calls the possibility of changing how the home is run, “remote.”
The Monday article makes no direct mention of lottery-style games, but a previous one does indicate that is again being considered.
Keelan also took issue with statements the Herald attributed to Shumlin indicating that while he has no desire to close the home, but efficiencies must be found to lessen its impact on the general fund. Keelan found particular issue with Shumlin’s statement, “Having said that, we have also supported any plan … to try to figure out ways to ensure that we’re not constantly always losing money on the Veterans’ Home, because the state can’t do this forever.”
Keelan said such statements make veterans leery of choosing to live at the home, and make nurses and other staff wary of seeking employment there.
“The presentation of the medal takes on even greater significance this morning in light of the fact that the administration is contemplating, not that they have made any decision on it, studying whether or not they should be privatizing the Veterans’ Home or possibly even close it,” Keelan said while at the Veterans Outreach and Family Resource Center, located on the Veterans’ Home grounds, flanked by a number of local veterans.
“When you make announcements such as that in the press, what does that do to the families that are trying to have their loves ones come here, or consider coming here, if in fact they’re in doubt as to whether or not the place will be open for them,” Keelan said.
He said the home is 130 years old, serves the entire state, is essentially run by the state, and deserves to be funded through the General Fund.
Morrissey said that in November the administration was mulling taxing “break-open tickets,” but they chose not to.
“But right now there is the initiative on the table to have a lottery game of chance to fund our Veterans’ Home, and that will be in competition, because lottery has always gone to the education fund. We’re going to have, probably, a major fight over that its own right, and there shouldn’t even be a discussion,” she said, adding that funds from gaming would be unreliable.
Keelan said he regrets returning his medal, but feels it must be done.
