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Q&A
Challenges and importance of veteran self-identification
0:50:09
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Council Member Paladino emphasizes the importance of veteran self-identification for increasing the recognized veteran population and securing more funding. She highlights the need for better outreach to inform veterans about available services and benefits.
- Self-identification is crucial for accurately assessing the veteran population and securing appropriate funding
- There is a need for increased outreach to inform veterans about available services and benefits
- The council member suggests that a modest budget increase of $2 million could significantly improve outreach efforts
Vickie Paladino
0:50:09
Because I do too.
0:50:11
Whenever I hear about anything that's going up, I also I always add to it, well, about our vets?
0:50:17
Are you making room for a certain amount of housing for veterans?
0:50:21
Now, of course, again, we come back to the same thing which there's no self identifying.
0:50:27
So the population here is growing but it's not growing at a pace that it could actually be growing because the more you grow and the more self identifying naturally, the funds follow, I would hope.
0:50:40
So, you know, we come back to the same thing about getting the word out, how do we do it.
0:50:46
Bob brought up a a a very modest amount of like another $2,000,000.
0:50:51
What the hell is $2,000,000 when you think about it?
0:50:53
We're gonna pass a budget that's a hundred and $16,000,000,000.
0:50:57
So I don't understand why we cannot see ourselves clear enough to allow the vets to do your organization, like you said, that's still in its infant stages quite frankly, to be able to get the word out and do what you need to do.
0:51:13
The more people know, and we've said this again and again with every committee hearing, the more people know, the more they they wanna engage because they don't know what's available to them unless they engage.
0:51:27
So we again, we circle back to the same thing, getting the word out.