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Mayor's stance on veterans' services and DVS funding
1:54:38
ยท
161 sec
Council Member Holden and Joe Bello discuss the mayor's stance on veterans' services and DVS funding, expressing disappointment with the administration's approach.
- They criticize the mayor's statement that the city shouldn't do the VA's work
- Bello notes the contradiction given the mayor's previous role as chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee in the NY State Senate
- Holden emphasizes that increased funding for veterans' services could benefit the city's economy
Robert Holden
1:54:38
there is there a coincidence that the veteran the DVS is the smallest budget of any city agency in this administration?
1:54:46
Yeah.
1:54:47
And the mayor did say when I brought this up at at a budget hearing with him, and I'll say this on a stack of Bibles, anybody wants to listen, he did say we shouldn't have to do the work the city should not have to do the work of the VA, which I which I thought is is ridiculous.
Joe Bello
1:55:05
Yeah.
1:55:05
It's a horrible answer.
1:55:06
Yeah.
1:55:06
I'll say that's a horrible answer.
Robert Holden
1:55:08
Don't think he understood how horrible it sounded.
Joe Bello
1:55:10
And and what confuses me, and I'll say this for the record too, is that that this mayor, even as the commissioner has highlighted it, he was the chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee in the New York State Senate.
1:55:21
So it's not like he didn't have any kind of understanding around veterans and its issues.
Robert Holden
1:55:26
Right.
Joe Bello
1:55:26
So for him to say that is is just is I think it's disrespectful and it's it's disappointing.
Robert Holden
1:55:31
And we're not asking the DVS to do the work of the VA.
1:55:36
We're asking them to communicate to try to fill a need that New York City Veterans have and it's communication.
1:55:44
We're not asking for, like, hundred million dollars here.
1:55:48
We're asking for a few more million to make this agency work better.
1:55:54
And adding a few million out of a budget of a hundred and 9,000,000,000 is a drop in the bucket.
Joe Bello
1:56:01
No.
1:56:01
I agree.
1:56:02
I mean, think about it this way.
1:56:03
When we went through the pandemic and Mission VetCheck first started, you know, even today, the commissioner testified about the what our demographics look like in the city.
1:56:12
Correct?
1:56:13
We have we are an aging veterans population.
1:56:16
And so, at some point, we're gonna have to have a conversation about what that looks like, not only with the Department of the Aging, but, you know, other agencies as well.
1:56:25
Right.
1:56:25
And he's just not doing that
Lamar Wheeler
1:56:27
at But
Robert Holden
1:56:27
the mayor's financial people should be telling that if we get more money, millions more for veterans in this city who deserve it, who have it coming to them, they would actually increase the economy of New York City to benefit.
1:56:42
So it's it's a small investment and and and it's it would pay off in dividends.
Joe Bello
1:56:48
And and I agree because I would say to you that one of the things we say, and we used to say it in the Veterans Advisory Board as well, is that New York City has the resources, but they need to be better funded, but we are not veteran friendly.
Robert Holden
1:57:00
Right.
Joe Bello
1:57:01
And in a city of 8,300,000 people with, you know, if you we go by the commissioners two hundred thousand number, even though I disagree with that, but they're a needle in a haystack.
1:57:10
And a lot of the administration has just forgotten about that.
Robert Holden
1:57:13
Right.
Joe Bello
1:57:13
You asked me about Dwyer.
Robert Holden
1:57:15
Can I make one Well, Brian just wanted to say?
Brian Ellicott Cook
1:57:17
Oh, sure.
1:57:17
I'm sorry.
Joe Bello
1:57:18
No.
1:57:18
No.
Brian Ellicott Cook
1:57:18
Go Can I make one suggestion?