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Cuomo Vetoes Bill For Veterans' Pension Credits

WAMC image by Dave Lucas

  Heading into Veterans Day, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has vetoed legislation that would have authorized state pension credits for peacetime military service. 
The legislation authored by Hudson Valley Republican and World War II comabt vet Sen. William Larkin, would amend current law that provides up to three years credit toward state pensions for military service during hostilities.
 
They would have to pay 3 percent of their compensation during those military years to the retirement system.
 
Assembly sponsors say the U.S. now depends on a volunteer military, and to encourage citizens to join, the state needs to recognize all veterans by giving them pension access.
 
In his veto message, Cuomo says it's an unfunded mandate on local governments that would incur $57 million in near term obligations.
 
(C) 2014 AP

Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.
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