Senators urged to protect Veterans Cash scratch-off proceeds Senators urged to shield Veterans Cash scratch-offs

On Wednesday, Miterko, who is with the Texas Coalition of Veterans Organizations and represents 35 veterans groups with 600,000 Texas members, warned senators against a plan that would siphon $2.8 million in Veterans Cash proceeds.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, had moved to funnel scratch-off proceeds to stave off the firing of up to one-fifth of the Texas Veterans Commission's claims administrators, who help veterans get VA benefits.

The Senate Veterans Affairs & Military Installations Committee on Wednesday unanimously approved Senate Bill 1739, which counters Ogden's effort to redirect money created by the scratch-off ticket from a permanent fund for veterans assistance.

The bill forbids funding diversions from the scratch-off.

The money from the scratch-offs helps keep veterans in their homes and has supported new courts in San Antonio, Fort Worth and Houston that keep veterans out of jail.

About $11 million has been netted since the tickets were first sold on Veterans Day 2009, with grants given to groups statewide. The $2 scratch-off ticket has helped 37,000 Texas veterans. Under Odgen's rider, up to one-third of the funds from it would be diverted.

Miterko, who with others testified before the veterans affairs committee Wednesday, is sympathetic to Ogden, a Navy veteran. But he said there would be a "significant decline" in scratch-off sales if the money from the tickets goes to administrators instead of directly supporting veterans.

The Veterans Commission's executive director, retired Army Col. Thomas Palladino, supported Senate Bill 1739, authored by Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth. While Ogden's provision would help his agency, he told the lawmakers, it would hurt veterans benefitting from scratch-off tickets.

Neither Ogden nor his office returned calls.

"It is to provide funds for organizations out there that help veterans down where the rubber meets the road, and that's where that money should go," said Palladino, adding that "it shouldn't fund any agency," including his own.

In Houston, Sheltering Arms Senior Services got $339,110 to help 45 veterans stay in their homes.

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