During recent session, the Erie County Legislature unanimously approved a resolution in support of a state bill (S6593/A8362) that would authorize Erie County to waive fees charged to veterans’ organizations making capital improvements to their property.

Legislator Ed Rath said, “Veterans’ posts and halls support many functions and provide a sense of community for our local veterans. These establishments have infrastructure improvement needs that are hard to afford. This legislation will take the burden off veterans by no longer requiring them to foot the bill.”

Legislator Lynne Dixon said, “The men and women who occupy these posts have fought for our country and we should look to help them in any way we can.  I thank the sponsors of this legislation in Albany and look forward to providing some relief to those who work hard to maintain these worthy organizations.”

Legislator Joe Lorigo said, “We are fortunate to have dozens of VFW posts throughout the county offering services to our veterans. Unfortunately, it is challenging for many of these organizations to cover costs to maintain their posts. I’m glad to see this legislation pass in Albany and I am proud to support anything we can do to help our veterans in Erie County.”

Legislator John Mills said, “I have done a lot of work with posts and facilities run by veterans’ organizations and see the many incredible services and events they put on. Many of these locations have infrastructure needs that are difficult to meet due to cost. Any little bit of help goes a long way and I look forward to implementing this legislation in Erie County.”

A copy of the resolution can be found here. The bill passed both the Senate and Assembly and is awaiting final approval from the Governor.