It’s that time once again where we vote for our representatives in state government. We have heard how they will fight for responsible gun laws to stop gun violence. The reality is you will never stop gun violence by putting mere words on a piece of paper. The bills proposed were after the fact, and the people who commit crimes with firearms really don’t care about words.

There is a big problem that never seems to be mentioned by our representatives and that totally has been eliminated from their ads. I’m speaking about the veterans. When the Rhode Island Veterans’ Home was built, it was understood that it would operate at full capacity. That hasn’t happened, and they have done nothing to fix it.

The excuse used is understaffing and lack of applicants. The state could pay the additional two years of education at Rhode Island College in nursing. After completion of the program they would work at the Veterans’ Home, where they would get prevailing wages and gain valuable experience. The state has a surplus of approximately $292 million. I think we can afford it.

I have been assisting veterans for over 20 years. It pains me to tell a family member that wants to put a loved one in the Veterans’ Home that it will probably never happen. According to the Veterans’ Home, they have 139 residents with a capacity of 190. The average wait is 482 days. This is unacceptable, yet nothing has been done to fix this in six years.

We have one representative who serves on the House Veterans Affairs Committee and one who seems to have the interest of Roger Williams University as a priority. The veterans seem to have been forgotten.

When you go to vote, please don’t vote based on a popularity contest. Their lack of attendance at veterans functions is proof of their priorities.

Steve Skuba
Bristol