Governor Minner Rebukes Veteran Volunteers

Who are you going to call, on the eve of war;

In times of economic shortfalls;

In times of another ongoing war on terrorism striking at our country's infrastructure;

In times when funding is being cut from our schools, even though our top-heavy district structure draws needed millions of dollars from our ability to hire teachers by having many times more administrators than is appropriate... and over-paying them;

In times when we have to pay to bribe employers to stay in Delaware;

In times when the Governor has decided that it is time to cook the goose that lays the golden egg ... by raising the filing fees and franchise taxes on corporations so that our State will lose part of its advantage in a competetive market allowing other States to attract our corporate supporters;

In times when the Governor is recommending uncoupling our State estate tax from the federal estate tax, which will in effect raise our estate tax;

In times when the statutorily required legal support for our mentally ill is being funded at as if it were 1985 - - regardless of inflation and a quintupled caseload.

In these times, our current administration has refused an offer of free help from our own veterans.

Even though the framework has been established in State Law (20 Del.C. Sec. 301-308), and even though our Reserve and Guard units are being activated and sent overseas, this Governor's administration has decided that it is not necessary nor appropriate for us to plan for a no cost option to have trained veterans supplement our remaining Delaware National Guard in the event of an emergency inside the State of Delaware.

So, when is the appropriate time to plan? When is the appropriate time to organize and update our training? After we have a catastrophic event? When the phone lines are down? When the cell phone circuits are clogged?

Who better to organize to assist our citizens in times of emergency than people who have been trained to function within an organized unit under adverse conditions? What better price than free? What is there to lose?

Why would our administration refuse this free option in search of one that may or may not be coming down the federal pike; one that will cost money and be manned by untrained and unorganized folk who don't even exist yet?

What are you thinking!?

Who are you going to call?