Services like health care transportation and assistance for homeless vets could be cut in the coming year if the Winnebago County Board declines to fund the Veterans Assistance Commission of Winnebago County’s largest ever funding request.
Commissioners approved a $1.6 million budget for 2025 so it can provide its nine employees with health benefits in accordance with a new state law and give them raises in an effort to retain accredited veteran service officers, said VAC Superintendent Jesus Pereira, a retired U.S. Army veteran.
Winnebago County Board members have signaled a willingness to provide a significant increase in property tax funding for a second consecutive year, but not as much as the commission approved in its budget, Pereira said.
A county committee proposed $1.3 million, 15% more than last year’s $1 million in funding.
And while it’s an increase, it’s not enough, Pereira said, and it would force VAC to cut into its programming and services to stay afloat.
“Local health transportation would have to be stopped for now,” Pereira said. “We will still have our Madison VA transportation option available as that is paid for by the VA and the drivers for that are volunteers.”
The Winnebago County Veterans Assistance Commission has historically been underfunded, Pereira argued.
“For the first time ever, this VAC has a structure that supports the needs of a 15,000-veteran county,” Pereira said. “And the county feels as if they’re giving us more money than last year. Which is true dollar-for-dollar, but over the course of the last 13 years this VAC has lost out on $3.1 million in funding.”
Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached at (815) 987-1374, via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on X @jeffkolkey.
