Department of Veterans Services Budget Request FY 2020-2021 1 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Department of Veterans Services

Budget Request FY 2020-2021

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About the Department

• Connect Tennessee’s veterans and their families with earned benefits and compensation
• Represent veterans and their families throughout the appeals process
• Enhance services to veterans through outreach and relationship building
• Operate and maintain the state’s five veterans cemeteries, including East (2), Middle, West,

and Parkers Crossroads

• Schedule and perform interment services for eligible veterans and dependents
• The compensation and benefits given to veterans result in $2.3 billion in economic activity.

TN State Veterans Cemeteries: $3,621,200 Administration: $4,963,400

FY 2020-2021 Base Budget

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$5.65 $6.38 $6.46 $7.05 $7.84

$0 $2 $4 $6 $8 $10 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21

millions

Change in Appropriations

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99 105 105 110 113

25 50 75 100 125 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21

Change in Positions

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• Recent law changes have reduced the fee for dependent

burials from $610 to $300 to $0.

• Dependent burials continue to occur—averaging about

660 per year.

• The Fiscal Notes failed to recognize this continued cost to

the Department of Veteran Services.

• As a result, the cost of the dependent burials cannot be

absorbed within the existing budget.

• The Department is asking for state appropriation to

replace the loss of revenue and support the continued cost

• f dependent burials.

Dependent Burial Fee

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Personnel Cost Increase: Appeal Advocates

• The Board of Veteran Appeals (BVA) Team is comprised of one attorney and

two appeals advocates. They are responsible for oral and written advocacy for Veterans and their families before the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

• Due to the 2017 Veteran Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act, the

BVA team has seen a 244% increase in caseload between 2016-2019. The caseload is projected to increase by 337% from 2016-2020.

• The Department is seeking to add two appeals advocates to the BVA team in
• rder to meet the demand of the significant increase in caseload.

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Personnel Cost Increase: Cemetery Caretaker 3

• West Tennessee Veteran Cemetery is experiencing the highest volume of

burials at an increase of 41%.

• The cemetery currently has 18,000 headstones that need perpetual care

while there is an increase of 1,000 headstones per year.

• The current foreman performs both caretaker and foreman

responsibilities.

• Hence, the Department would greatly benefit from the addition of one

Cemetery Caretaker 3, who would contribute to more efficient management of the cemetery.

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Cost Increases

Cost Increase Total State Federal Other Positions

1. TN State Veterans Cemeteries – Cemetery Caretaker 3 Position $45,400 $45,400 $0 $0 1 2. TN State Veterans Cemeteries – Dependent Burial Fees 405,600 (405,600) 3. TN State Veterans Admin – Two Appeal Advocate Positions 122,600 122,600 2 4. TN State Veterans Cemeteries – Capital Projects Revolving Fund 235,600 235,600 5. TN State Veterans Admin- Resource Coordinators Salary Adjustment 99,600 99,600 6. TN State Veterans Admin – Grants to distressed counties 15,000 15,000 Total Cost Increase $518,200 $923,800 $0 $(405,600) 3

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Efficiency Plan

Total State Federal Other Positions

1. Operational Expenditure Reductions ($69,900) ($69,900) $0 $0 Total Efficiency Plan ($69,900) ($69,900) $0 $0

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