Voters will decide on Tuesday on Measure 70 which will allow more veterans to be able to get low-interest home loans.
As it is, if a veteran is to receive these loans, they must meet certain criteria. In order to be approved, a veteran must have received an honorable discharge, and have been serving for at least 210 consecutive days, or have been released because of an injury or disability.
In addition, the veteran must apply for these loans within 30 years of their discharge. As of right now, the veterans who have been deployed with their guard or reserve unit aren’t entitled. The widow or widower of a soldier is also untitled to those loans.
If Measure 70 is passed, all of that changes. It will bring the required number of days down from 210 to 178 days, the widow or widower will be able to receive the loans, the 30 year deadline would become non-existent, plus National Guardsmen and reservists would become eligible. In addition, those who had fought for their country while living in another state and moving to Oregon afterwards would also be eligible for the home-loan program. If this Measure is passed, it won’t cost the state anything.
Since this Measure can help so many soldiers and not cost us anything, it’s hard to understand why this is just getting discussed now.
According to Marty Kimmel, the Campus Veteran Service Officer, there are a lot of things that need to be done in order pass this measure. Firstly, the term veteran must be redefined. Then, the tax codes have tp be changed. But according to Kimmel, it’s a small price to pay. “It’s a benefit they have earned because they served our country.â€
Story by Troy Goosen
