Parse error: syntax error, unexpected '-', expecting ',' or ';' in ...

For some time now I have been using database connections with a hyphen in them. They all work just fine until I decided to use one in a Select (ComboBox) on a form. The Select is using a MySQL connection that was used before for another form without error, “ICMTS-SupportTables” in “con_mysql_ICMTS-SupportTables”.

Here is the code and full error message:

“Parse error: syntax error, unexpected ‘-’, expecting ‘,’ or ‘;’ in D:\Developement\NetMake\v9\wwwroot\scriptcase\app\ICMTS\Form_ServiceTicketUpdates_Editor\index.php on line 163”

Here is the code block where the line is referenced:

var $nm_bases_odbc;
var $nm_db_conn_mysql_ICMTS-SupportTables;
var $nm_con_conn_mysql_ICMTS-SupportTables = array();
var $sc_page;
var $sc_lig_md5 = array();
var $sc_lig_target = array();

line 163 is:

var $nm_db_conn_mysql_ICMTS-SupportTables;

Is there a way I can encapsulate the reference?

If I can use these connections without error for the form itself, why then do they give me an error when being referenced for a ComboBox (SELECT)?

Any assistance would be appreciated. Thank you!