Veterans Angry At Cutback

Veterans gathered on the Capitol steps Thursday in what looked like a demonstration, right down to placards and stern faces, though many veterans were uncomfortable describing it that way.

“This is not a demonstration or a protest,” said veteran Walt Jackson, “this is a rally for support.”

The support is for Gary Bermeosolo, current administrator of the Idaho Division of Veterans Services, a position veterans say Republicans want to ax for political reasons.

Members of many different veterans groups dressed in their organizational garb, unfurled flags, and stood shoulder to shoulder on the Statehouse steps Thursday. Supporters held signs that read “Vets are betrayed by Idaho” and “JFAC paid for their raises by stealing from vets.”

Last week, legislators on the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee voted 11-9 to eliminate Bermeosolo’s job, which oversees administration of the three state veterans homes in Lewiston, Pocatello and Boise. The move saved the state $92,000 but prompted veterans groups to declare war on JFAC.

On Thursday, JFAC co-chairman Sen. Atwell Parry said it now appears the budget committee may not be able to eliminate the job, as it’s written into state law.

“We really can’t fire the guy,” Parry said, “so we challenged him to see what he can come up with in salary savings, and he’s going to get back to us by Monday.”

Some disgruntled veterans claimed the GOP-controlled committee’s action was politically motivated because Bermeosolo is a Democrat who unsuccessfully challenged Republican state Sen. Jim Risch of Boise in 1976.

Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, said many veterans confused elimination of the position with reduced funding for veterans programs, and are flooding the Legislature with calls. He said the move was strictly an elimination of a job that was being duplicated and was “no longer needed.”

Cameron said Bermeosolo “took four raises last year, from $60,000 to $66,000.”

“It’s just part of the effort to control the budget,” said Cameron.

Veteran Deke Johnson, a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Boise, sees it differently.

“We feel it’s very unfair,” said Johnson. “There’s eight divisions of Health and Welfare, why would they fire only this one director, the one that’s the lowest paid and has no assistants?”

Johnson said Bermeosolo runs a tight ship and the attempt to remove him was political.

“Bermeosolo was appointed by a Democrat and now they want to get rid of him, but it’s not a partisan job.

The following fields overflowed: BYLINE = Joe Relk Staff writer The Associated Press contributed to this report