Veterans officials in Winneshiek County are fighting what they see as wasteful spending involving state funding

Each year the State of Iowa sends $10,000 to each and every one of the veterans affairs offices in Iowa's 99 counties.  There's only one restriction on the state funding--it can NOT be used on direct benefits for veterans.

The money is intended instead for "outreach" by the county veterans affairs offices.  In many cases, that "outreach" takes the form of buying office furniture or sending staffers to out of state meetings at luxury resorts.

Now officials of the Winneshiek County Veterans Affairs Office are joining colleagues throughout Iowa in trying to convince the state legislature to stop earmarking this money the way that has been done in the past.

"You can buy only so many desks and computers," complains Winneshiek County Veterans Affairs Director Deb Monson.  She says the money gets wasted because "you're spending money just for the sake of spending it."

An interesting thing happens when counties don't spend all of the $10,000 they are given each year.  The money does not go back to the state's checking account--it gets given to the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs.

Winneshiek County Veterans Affairs Committee member Glen Larson is critical of that practice--and critical of the advice county veterans affairs offices get from the state office.  He says state staffers want county officials to attend out-of-state meetings to receive national certification training.  Larson points out that the training could be provided at a much cheaper cost if it were held in an Iowa community.  But the state staff instead recommends attending meetings that are held out of state at high-priced resorts.  This year's conference, for instance, is being held at an Atlantic City casino and resort.

Last year $88,000 of the $990,000 appropriated to county veterans affairs programs went unused, so was given to the state VA office.  Larson says the present system is wasting the state's money--and not getting needed help to Iowa's veterans.