VERMILION — A county veterans official told Vermilion City Council that changes to property taxes could put local veterans services at risk.
Jacob Smith, executive director of the Lorain County Veterans Service Commission, spoke during the March 23 meeting at the invitation of Council President Jeff Lucas. His message was simple: the program that helps local veterans depends on property tax funding.
“Our budget is determined by property tax,” Smith said. “If property tax is eliminated, the service commission goes away.”
What the commission does
Smith said many veterans don’t realize what help is available to them.
The commission helps with things like:
- filing VA benefit claims
- helping cover emergency expenses
- providing rides to medical appointments
- connecting veterans with health and dental care
Since January, Smith said, the office 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.
“The government only funds what people sign up for,” he said, encouraging 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 percent 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 helped secure funding for a 60-foot veterans flagpole in the city, along with additional money through the 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.
Why this matters now
Smith said the need for these services isn’t going away.
Even though the number of veterans is slowly declining, demand remains steady. He said Lorain County is losing about 300 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.