Barstow Veterans Home spared from state budget cuts forced by coronavirus

Jun. 16--State lawmakers have approved next year's budget, which no longer includes a proposal to close the Barstow Veterans Home and force about 200 veterans to move.

The home for veterans was on a list of about $14 billion in trigger cuts to be revisited if the federal government declines to pass an aid package to help states and local governments deal with economic uncertainty caused by the novel coronavirus crisis.

Earlier this month, lawmakers pulled the home from the list of proposed cuts for fiscal year beginning July 1. Lawmakers approved the budget Monday, June 15.

"This budget also includes a guarantee that not a single veteran in this home may ever be involuntarily displaced," Assemblyman Jay Obernolte, R-Big Bear Lake, said in a statement. "Keeping this vital facility open is a huge victory for our veterans, their families, and our community."

In May, Gov. Gavin Newsom released a revised budget for the 2020-21 year, which proposed initiating the closure of the Barstow Veterans Home over the next two years, saving about $400,000 next fiscal year and $14 million annually over the long term.

Months of business closures and restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus has resulted in a $54 billion state budget deficit. To help fill that gap, Newsom has proposed numerous cuts and is relying on money from the federal government.

State law required legislators pass a budget by midnight Monday, June 15, or they won't get paid, but they still need to reach an agreement with Newsom, who has the power to sign, veto or alter whatever they send him.

Meanwhile, legislative leaders continue to negotiate with the Newsom administration to reach an agreement on the budget before the start of the new fiscal year on July 1.

The Barstow Veterans Home opened in 1996 and has 220 beds. It offers independent living, intermediate care and skilled nursing care. Primary medical care is provided to independent residents on-site, while acute care is available at the Jerry L. Pettis Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Loma Linda or at the Barstow Community Hospital, according to the home's website.

The home was opened because of its proximity to multiple military installations in the High Desert, which has one of the highest concentrations of veterans in the state.

However, the state said the home doesn't meet its criteria for an "ideal veterans home" because the area doesn't have a large veteran population, routinely has critical vacancies and is 90 minutes away from the nearest VA medical center, among other issues, according to a May 14 letter to residents and employees from the state Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Vito Imbasciani.

The nearest home for veterans is nearly 100 miles away in Lancaster. The West Los Angeles home is 134 miles away from Barstow.

Closing the Barstow facility would cost the state more than $3 million from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, according to Obernolte.

A group held a rolling rally on Memorial Day, May 25, to bring awareness to the proposed closure. The group, "Save Barstow Veterans Home" also started a petition urging Newsom, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and President Donald Trump to keep the home open. As of Monday, June 15, more than 21,000 people had signed the petition. The goal is 25,000 signatures.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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