WILLIAMS EXPLAINS STATEWIDE BALLOT REFERENDUM QUESTION

HARRISBURG, OCT. 18 – State Sen. Connie Williams would like her constituents to be aware of a statewide ballot referendum question that will appear on the General Election ballot on Nov. 7^th and on absentee ballots, which are now being mailed.

The question asks voters if they favor indebtedness by the Commonwealth of up to $20 million for the payment of compensation for service in the Persian Gulf Conflict of 1990 to 1991.

"What this will do, if a majority of Pennsylvanians approve the referendum, is to authorize Pennsylvania to borrow $20 million to create a fund to pay veterans of the United States Armed Forces who served in the Persian Gulf Conflict and were Pennsylvania residents at the time of their service," Williams said. "It recognizes and rewards the brave men and women who served during this conflict."

If approved, the Persian Gulf Conflict Veterans' Compensation Fund would be created. Through the fund, Persian Gulf Veterans would be eligible to receive reimbursement as follows:

• Up to $525 for a veteran of the conflict

• $5,000 for a veteran who was a prisoner of war in the conflict

• $5,000 to the survivors of a veteran who died in the conflict or from a wound, disease or injury sustained during the conflict.

The program was authorized under Act 29 of 2006. Pennsylvania's Adjutant General would be authorized to create rules and procedures for administering payments from the compensation fund.

This is the only statewide ballot referendum. Additional local referendum questions could appear on ballots.