State officials: Veterans homes not closing

Gov. Jay Nixon and the House budget committee chairman agree, Missouri veterans homes are not closing.

At the end of Wednesday's House budget transparency committee meeting, House budget chair Rep. Ryan Silvey, R-Kansas City, and State Budget Director Linda Luebbering agreed that funding would and could be found to keep the state's seven veterans homes open.

Earlier in the summer, reductions in state funding forced the state Veterans Commission to dip into its reserve fund to continue operating. Without increased funding, the commission said its funds would be tapped out by July 2013. The homes are funded from three sources: state and federal governments and the veterans themselves.

Silvey called reports that veterans homes would be closing "a manufactured issue from somewhere, and it's not a real threat." Silvey said his committee would hold hearings next week to examine the issue and find out where the reports originated.

Luebbering concurred that the governor was not recommending closing any of the homes.