Arizona lawmakers team up to help military vets

PHOENIX — A group of Arizona Democratic and Republican lawmakers are using their backgrounds as military veterans to create a caucus that will focus on veterans’ issues.

Republican Rep. Sonny Borelli of Lake Havasu City was a Marine gunnery sergeant. He said the veterans caucus is going to address the spectrum of issues facing vets, including post traumatic stress, homelessness and high unemployment.

“If people are not working then they have family problems. If you’re married and don’t have a job that is financial stress on a marriage,” said the freshman legislator.

The committee plans to present legislation that would give employers incentives and tax breaks to hire veterans.

Arizona House Assistant Minority Leader Ruben Gallego also served in the Marines. He said, “Arizona is constantly taking in veterans and we are going to have an influx coming back from Afghanistan next year.

“At the end of the day I would like to see Arizona set the standard for being the best veteran friendly state in the nation.”