New York state has more than 892,000 veterans as residents, according to federal-government figures from 2014. Our state is home to the second largest veteran population in the nation. 

From older-generation veterans to those who are returning home today, veterans have a number of needs. The biggest issue often faced by our returning veterans is the complex transition from life as enlisted military personnel to life as a civilian. This could include issues related to seeking employment, housing, and physical and mental health. 

Our job as legislators is to help develop ways the state can assist the men and women, old and young, who have sacrificed so much to protect our freedoms and to keep us safe from harm. We’ve worked incredibly hard to pass measures that will help our veterans.

One bill recently signed into law allows local municipalities the option of adopting a new or increased level for the alternative veterans’ real property-tax exemption. This bill came in response to the growing need of some veterans whose exemption could not keep pace with growing real-estate property costs.

Unfortunately, other bills that could help veterans are awaiting the governor’s signature. One measure would allow veterans already receiving the veterans’ real property-tax exemption to receive a pro-rated portion of the exemption should they sell and buy a home in the county where they currently reside. The legislature also passed a bill that would expand the eligibility criteria for admission to a NYS Veterans Home to include service during conflicts over the past 20 years to better serve aging veterans. Additionally, we passed legislation that charges the Department of Veterans Affairs with annually reporting on veteran-owned and disabled-veteran-owned small businesses. 

Lastly, I wanted to talk about the Veteran Buyback Bill (A.8174-A). Currently, the state has a program that allows veterans of certain conflict periods, who served in specific countries, or who received certain medal distinctions, to purchase up to three years of their service to count toward their New York State public-service retirement. Bill 8174-A, which passed with near unanimous bipartisan support, would have opened the program up to those who served in recent Middle East conflicts, Bosnia, Israel, and many other overseas missions and duties.

The governor, however, vetoed the bill, claiming there wasn’t a mechanism in place to pay for the program. He made this complaint last year as well, so the legislature fixed that issue in the 2015 version of the bill. This program is not a handout, as the governor is insinuating; each participating veteran purchases these credits. This program is one of the ways we can thank many veterans who are currently unfairly excluded from the program.

In response to the governor’s decision, some of my legislative colleagues and I are launching an effort to encourage the legislature to override the governor’s veto. We have set up a petition at http://bit.ly/OverrideCuomo. I encourage you to sign the petition in support of our many wonderful veterans.          

Marc W. Butler (R,C,I–Newport) is a New York State Assemblyman for the 118th District, which encompasses parts of Oneida, Herkimer, and St. Lawrence counties, as well as all of Hamilton and Fulton counties. Contact him at butlerm@assembly.state.ny.us