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Municipal advocates ask state to take over veterans benefit payments; veterans urge COLA and expanded benefits
Summary
A Massachusetts Municipal Association analyst testified for H.3859 to shift veterans benefit payments from towns to the state and allay municipal budget unpredictability; separate testimony urged a cost-of-living adjustment for veterans benefits and expanded survivor benefits for Guard and Reserve members killed on active duty.
At the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs hearing, Allie DeMatteo, legislative analyst for the Massachusetts Municipal Association, urged the committee to favor H.3859, a bill that would route veteran benefit payments through a single state appropriation rather than requiring municipalities to pay benefits up front and seek partial reimbursement.
"Streamlining the state system would save municipalities time and money and would be consistent with direct, sound, direct payment practices that have been adopted by…
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