The state has spent more than $100 million to construct two new veterans homes: a 300-bed facility in Fresno and a 150-bed home in Redding. The federal government chipped in the rest to cover the total costs of close to $250 million. The facilities are on track to be completed early this year and could accept veterans as early as next year. Doing so would create an estimated 700 jobs in two depressed parts of the state and make good on promises state leaders have made to veterans for years. But Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed 2012-13 budget puts a halt to the projects.
Instead of the roughly $26 million needed to get staff and operate the new facilities, the governor has opted to mothball the facilities for another year. About $3.4 million is in the budget just to pay a small staff to watch over and maintain the brand-new buildings as they sit empty -- which equals about $280,000 a month. The homes' openings would be delayed until the beginning of 2014, if money is available at that time.
