Gov. Doug Ducey wants to take more money from a fund to help living vets to instead operate state-run cemeteries.
The Military Family Relief Fund has been soliciting private donations since 2007 to provide one-time aid to Gulf War veterans and their families, things like widening doors for wheelchairs or paying for family members to travel to Walter Reed hospital to be with a returning vet.
Ducey proposes to balance his $9.1 billion budget by in part by taking more than $900,000 from the fund to operate an existing state veteran cemetery in Sierra Vista and open new ones near Tucson and Flagstaff.
Jon Altmann, who lobbies on behalf of the Association of the U.S. Navy, said no one from the Ducey administration mentioned the plan to veteran groups, much less sought input or support.
"I mean, if you're going to come in and rob the piggy bank, can you at least tell us before you rob it?" Altmann said.
David Lucier, legislative coordinator for United Arizona Veterans, an umbrella group of various veteran groups, was more succinct in his objection to the move.
"People donated to that fund thinking that they're going to help improve someone's life, not putting in the ground and bury them. There's a case for bait and switch to be made there," Lucier said.
But Ted Vogt, Ducey's policy chief, rejected the bait-and-switch comparison. He said it makes sense to transfer funds out of the Military Family Relief Fund, not just to operate the cemetery but for other veteran needs.
"This is the first step of a larger strategy to meet what has been an ongoing concern of the community that the MFRF is too restrictive in how it serves the veteran community," Vogt said.
He said changing the law could mean more funds for other existing programs, like helping homeless vets of all eras.
But Vogt acknowledged these donations were sought specifically to help living Gulf-era combat vets. And he conceded this transfer is only for cemetery operations.
But he said it's necessary: If the state fails to provide funding it has to refund the $15 million the federal government spend building the facilities.