These are tough times for Rockland financially, so it’s natural enough for there to be concern about spending, especially dipping into money set aside for emergencies.

But it’s also tough to turn away veteran groups that ask for money for parades, Memorial Day or Veterans Day observances or to fund their efforts to reach out and help veterans of Afghanistan or Iraq.

It’s also easy to say that the veterans groups should raise the money they need for such activities. To a degree, that’s right, but the reality is that some American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts are made up mostly of elderly members who can’t stand in traffic or outside supermarkets trying to collect what they need.

County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef could come off looking like Scrooge, saying he’ll veto the next batch of funding requests for veterans sent to him by the County Legislature.

It may be a little late in the game to make that firm stand this year.

But Vanderhoef is right to suggest that veterans groups should have to follow the same procedure as the so-called contract agencies—groups that get funding included in the county budget to help them perform services or activities vital to the community.

After all, veterans know when they hold activities and observances—Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Flag Day and the like—and they know how much money they need and when. If fact, that gives them a bit of an advantage over other contract agencies, whose needs may fluctuate or be more unpredictable.

So, let’s not turn them aside blindly this year, but reach out to all the groups, perhaps through the Veterans Coordinating Council, to let them know how the process works and get them ready to get in line like everyone else.