(ANCHORAGE) - The Legislative Budget and Audit Committee voted on Wednesday to use a Federal Tax Relief Grant to provide benefit checks to needy seniors and to send funds to communities across the state to help offset the closing of the Revenue Sharing and Safe Communities Program.

"I know that there are seniors who were hit hard when the Longevity Bonus Program ended," said Representative Ralph Samuels, Chair of the committee. "We aren't able to replace that program, but this money will allow needy seniors to receive monthly checks for the next ten months to help bridge the gap."

The committee also released a study performed by the McDowell Group regarding options for a State Veterans Home. McDowell Group surveyed veterans across the state to determine what types of long-term care they wanted, and reviewed several state options to determine what each would cost the state and if they were feasible under federal guidelines.

"There has been a lot of discussion over the past few years regarding Alaskan Veterans' desire for a Veterans Home," said Samuels. "A number of proposals have been suggested from designating beds in the Pioneer's Homes to building a new facility, but no one really knew what the veterans wanted or what the cost to the state would be for each option."

McDowell Group outlined three options:

• Convert the Palmer Pioneers' Home to a 78-bed State Veterans Home. This option will require $1.4 million in capital costs, but will save the state $247,000 each year.
• Convert 60 beds in the Anchorage Pioneers' Home and 19 beds in the Fairbanks Pioneers' Home. This option will require more administration, but will spread services to across the two largest population centers. This will require $5.3 million in capital dollars, but will save the state $255,000 each year.
• Build a new 60-bed State Veterans Home in or near Anchorage. This option is the most costly, and will require $9.4 million in capital dollars and cost the state $2.8 million each year to operate.

"This report will give the Legislature and the Administration the information we need to decide how to proceed in providing long term care for our veterans," said Samuels.

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