Pettengill Votes to Secure Veteran`s Funding
3/5/2008
(DES MOINES)—Rep. Dawn Pettengill (R-Mount Auburn) today supported an amendment which would have allocated $5 million to the Veterans Trust Fund instead of relying on unstable gambling revenue to support the fund.
The bill, House File 2359, establishes a new series of lottery games to fund the Veterans Trust fund, offering one $1 scratch game and one $2 scratch game, as well as one 25-cent and one 50-cent pull-tab game, with post-overhead and marketing expenses going to the Veterans Trust Fund.
However, amendment H-8045 would have allocated $5 million of the state’s $6 billion budget directly to the Veterans Trust Fund.
After consulting members in her district, Rep. Pettengill supported the amendment, citing the lottery tickets as an unreliable funding stream. According to a survey of her residents in District 39, 91 percent of those responding expressed the need for the money for the Veterans Trust to come from the general fund.
“I had great concern with gambling on the money that goes to benefit Iowa’s veterans. One of my constituents made a good point when they said our veterans already took a chance with their lives, they shouldn’t have to take another one with lottery tickets,” said Rep. Pettengill. “I am committed to living up to our commitment to veterans, which is why I supported the proper funding of the Veterans Trust Fund.”
The Veterans Trust Fund assists low-income Iowa veterans, spouses and their dependents with travel for wounded veterans, job training or college tuition assistance, and certain health care services.
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