FROM OUR PRINTED AUG. 2020 EDITION
In the wake of the documented mishandling of the Chinese COVID-19 crisis, which killed at least 76 veterans at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home, veterans, family members, and supporters gathered again to call for proper funding of the facility, including the more than 7-year delay in planned renovations and upgrades.
Looking back, the facility suffered tremendous budget cuts under the former Democrat Deval Patrick administation in 2015 when Patrick targeted soldiers homes for reductions in order to channel funding to other areas of the budget. He called his actions “budget balancing” at the time.
Veterans and families are currently seeking the Legislature to fulfill promises that date back many years.
The late July public gathering at the State House was small, was seen as a visible request to enlist Democrat House Speaker Robert DeLeo to “be our champion.” At press time, the Democrat-controlled Legislature had taken no action in this matter.
Plenty of money for housing, EBT, SNAP etc. for those who come to our state from foreign lands. Plenty of money for inflated salaries at the state agencies. Veterans come in a distant second place with today’s Beacon Hill politicians.