Untangle Goldsboro veterans cemetery from partisan politics

President Trump just signed a measure to ensure accountability for the Veterans Administration, which is good, and he campaigned on a vow to treat America’s military veterans with respect and give them the support they deserve.

But back here on Earth in North Carolina, an oversight – intentional or otherwise – by Republicans in the General Assembly has left the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs without adequate money to care for and maintain a new veterans cemetery in Goldsboro. The cemetery was made possible by a federal grant, and all veterans and their spouses are eligible. If the state can’t maintain it, it risks having to return the $5.4 million grant given by the feds to build the cemetery.

Some Republicans claim the department, run by former Democratic legislator Larry Hall, has the money it needs. Hall says that’s not so and that he asked lawmakers for $200,000 per year for the next two years to do the maintenance that is the state’s obligation under the agreement.

This is simple: Republicans need to make the money available without further discussion. They’ve often displayed tone-deafness when it comes to other worthy state programs, but in this case, they cannot win. All North Carolinians – in a state full of retired veterans thanks to multiple military bases – support benefits of all kinds for vets. So should lawmakers.

This story was originally published June 26, 2017 at 11:00 AM with the headline "Untangle Goldsboro veterans cemetery from partisan politics."