The gubernatorial team of I’aulualo Talia Faafetai and Tapaau Dr. Dan Aga is proposing five initiatives to benefit veterans as well as active service men and women and their families.
The candidates say it’s not enough to give speeches, but to translate words into meaningful action. They propose exempting military retirement pensions form paying taxes, thereby providing an incentive for retirees to use this credit while living in American Samoa.
Another initiative is to establish a local VA Department with a cabinet level VA Officer within ASG so that the needs and concerns of veterans get the attention at the highest levels.
In addition, the I’aulualo and Tapaau team is proposing a one stop center where veterans will receive services relating to housing, employment, education, business, legal and finance.
Also in their plan is to work with the federal government for the set aside of land for a military cemetery ground in the territory. They note that American Samoa is the only part of the US that does not have a military burial ground.
Their fifth initiative for veterans is to work towards qualifying local banks as VA lenders to facilitate VA mortgage loans. The candidates say the present process is too cumbersome and qualifying local banks as lenders for home loans will relieve veterans of the bureaucratic process.
