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Veterans service officer requests temporary hire as state tax changes increase workload
Summary
County veteran service officer George Pickers asked commissioners for a temporary part-time hire to handle a surge of disabled-veteran tax reapplications driven by recent state law changes; commissioners approved the request by voice vote.
Gibson County's veteran service officer told commissioners he needs temporary help to handle an expected surge in workload after state tax-law changes affecting disabled-veteran property-tax deductions.
"I am your county veteran service officer and I'm here tonight to ask your permission to hire a part-time employee," said George Pickers. He explained the legislature reformed disabled-veteran property-tax deductions and many veterans will have to refile their claims. "We can't do anything until after July 1st… so now instead of a year to do all this, we got six months," Pickers said, asking for a temporary part-time employee three days a week at a maximum rate of $16 an hour for approximately a year and a half. He also said he has a separate records digitization project that the hire could assist with.
Commissioners moved to approve the extra hire and signaled support during the meeting by voice vote.
Why it matters: The administrative burden of refiling could fall on the county veteran-service office, which the officer described as a "one-man band" that cannot absorb a large influx of clients without additional staff. Pickers estimated the group of affected veterans could number in the hundreds, but did not provide a precise count.
The decision gives the veteran service officer immediate authority to approach the council for supplemental funding and to pursue a temporary hire; Pickers said he will budget the position in next year’s appropriation if the need persists.
