This, while a worthwhile gesture, is a reflection of just how poorly out service men and women are compensated for the job they perform. If a state which still taxes their native servicemembers while active, regardless of their deployment environment, feels it necessary to provide a bonus to them, then you have evidence of a vastly underpaid colletion of constituents. The military payscale is incredibly disproportionate to the risks they take and the sacrafices the voluntarily make. And before some one says "well, they know that going in", you're right, and they go in anyway. Which makes it all the more shameful that our FEDERAL government along with the states see fit to misappropriate defense and tax funds to where they have to even the ledger with a bonus contingent on the popular vote. And while I think that Likwid's heart and mind is in the right place saying th funds would be better allocated to armour and other necessary provisions, therein lies another conundrum, and one that shouldn't have to be voted on either. Basic operational preparedness is amazingly insufficient in this conflict. Still (back to the matter at hand) in today's economy, those servicemembers' families can most likely use every extra penny they can get, with moms and dads deployed to combat and essentially single parents left behind. Truth is, 99.9% of them are too proud to ask for help they more than likely need and more than deserve. And Lord knows this wonderful state that we live in has been so financially mismanaged that $200 million would he a huge help to schools and infastructure that someone is really wrestling with this idea for the vets, both fiscally and emotionally. And it shouldn't have had to come to that, or a vote. (Dismounting soapbox now.)