Property tax changes put veterans at risk

Editor's note: Joseph Jones is a Register correspondent representing vermiliondaily.com. VERMILION — A local veterans advocate told area elected officials how changes to property taxes could put local veterans services at risk. Jacob Smith, executive director of the Lorain County Veterans Service Commission, recently addressed Vermilion city council members. Council president Jeff Lucas invited Smith, a 2000 Perkins High School graduate, to speak. Smith's message was simple: Services helping veterans, including those his office fulfills, greatly depend on property tax funding. "If property tax is eliminated, the service commission goes away," said Smith, noting how property tax changes could affect all veteran services offices in Ohio, including the one he works for. What the commission does Smith said many veterans don't realize what help is actually available to them. This would include workers helping veterans by: • Filing VA benefit claims • Covering emergency expenses • Providing rides to medical appointments • Connecting them with health and dental care professionals From January through mid-March, Smith said his office alone has filed more than 200 claims for pensions and disability benefits. Those efforts can bring a lot of money back into the community. "In 2024, about $5 million in local funding helped bring in $101 million for veterans in Lorain County," Smith said. The commission also spent more than $1.7 million last year helping veterans and their families with immediate needs. Smith said one of the biggest issues is that many veterans simply don't sign up for benefits. Smith encourages veterans to visit their local offices and sign up. This helps show legislators the level of funding needed for veterans programs not only regionally and statewide but also nationwide. "The government only funds what people sign up for," said Smith, who encouraged veterans to enroll in VA health care even if they already have private insurance. Using music to reach veterans To reach more people, the commission has started using a different approach. Smith highlighted the Operation Guitar for Veterans program, which gives veterans a free guitar and 10 lessons. The program costs just under $500 per person. "It turns out when you give a veteran a free guitar, they come talk to people about us," Smith said. He said about 80% of participants had never contacted the commission before. That first visit can lead to more help. In one case, Smith said, a veteran who came in for the program was later able to get assistance for major dental issues. The goal, he said, is simple: get veterans in the door and make sure they know what help is available. A Vermilion connection The program also has ties to Vermilion. Lucas said Smith, a veteran himself, helped secure funding for a 60-foot veterans flagpole in the city along with additional money through his office's honor fund for another veterans-related project. He also praised the guitar program after seeing it in action. "It's just good for their soul," Lucas said. Smith said the need for these services isn't going away. Even though the number of veterans is slowly declining, demand remains steady. Smith said Lorain County is losing about up to 400 veterans each year, but many who remain still need help. With property tax discussions happening at the state level, Smith said it's important people understand what's at stake. "No property tax means no service commission," he said.