COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio voters must decide next month whether to give recent Ohio veterans cash bonuses for their military service.
If Issue One passes, veterans that served in the Persian Gulf War, Iraq or Afghanistan conflicts would receive up to $1,000. Veterans who served elsewhere during those conflicts would receive up to $500. The families of soldiers killed in the line of duty would receive a $5,000 death benefit.
Rick Isbell flew recon missions for the Air Force during the Persian Gulf War in 1991. He now coordinates veterans affairs for the City of Columbus, and says many veterans could use the money.
"This is to give back to those who have already given so much for our country," Isbell said. "Last year, we had 400 homeless veterans that we helped and tried to help get off the land. This year we expect more."
Ohio has a tradition of paying veterans for wartime military service dating back to World War One. There is no organized opposition to Issue One. The central question one might ask is how much it will cost taxpayers? To pay for the bonuses, the state would sell up to $200 million in bonds.
Bill Hartnett, director of the Ohio Department of Veterans Services, says with conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan continuing, the state does not have a firm count of veterans that would be eligible to collect.
"It depends upon how many veterans we have, which is what we can't say, so the $200 million, we think is a safe number," Hartnett said.
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