Posted on 05/13/2005 9:54:45 AM PDT by CedarDave
Lawmakers and residents in towns with military bases targeted for closure promised Friday to fight to get off the list, saying their communities would be crippled and national security would be damaged. "The battle starts today," one mayor said.
South Dakota's Ellsworth Air Force Base, home to intercontinental missiles and long-range bombers during its 63-year history, and the nation's first submarine base, in Connecticut, were among the 150 military installations from Maine to Hawaii listed in the first round of base closures in a decade.
The bases are an important, often crucial, source of jobs, and communities and politicians have spent months fiercely lobbying for their home stations.
New Mexico, for example, stands to lose Cannon Air Force Base, which would cost 2,385 military jobs and 384 civilian jobs, according to the Pentagon's list released Friday.
That doesn't include costs to the surrounding communities. A separate study last year said closing Cannon would cost Curry County alone $98 million annually.
"It'll kill Clovis," said Linda Hanks, manager of a Dairy Queen there. "We don't have any industry here. We rely on the base. Probably 75 percent of our business comes from the base. That's not only us, it's every business in town."
The proposed list of bases to be closed now goes to a federal commission, which must report by Sept. 8, and then goes to Congress and President Bush.
The Pentagon plan calls for a net loss of 29,005 military and civilian jobs at domestic installations, but some places stand to gain as jobs at closed bases are shifted to those that survive.
President Bush's home state of Texas could gain more than 9,000 military jobs even while losing four major installations and several smaller ones. Ohio would gain about 240 jobs overall - a prospect Republican Rep. Pat Tiberi called "just amazing."
Employees whooped and cheered when they heard the Defense Supply Center in Columbus and suburban Whitehall would remain open, said Alex Maksimovic, Whitehall development director.
"It would have impacted the city of Whitehall by about 45 percent of our income-tax base. It would have been a huge, huge loss for us," he said.
Many in the communities that were targeted were scrambling Friday to figure out how to avert such losses.
For South Dakota, an Air Force study last year estimated the annual economic impact of Ellsworth at $278 million, including its $161 million annual payroll.
"We're not throwing in the towel with Ellsworth at all," said Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D.
Fort Monmouth in New Jersey would lose all its 5,272 military and civilian jobs, according to the Pentagon list.
"It's a major disappointment. I think it's a poor decision," said Gerry Tarantolo, mayor of nearby Eatontown, N.J.. "But obviously this is just the beginning of the fight," he said. "The battle starts today."
In Connecticut, the proposed closures would affect nearly 8,600 jobs, mostly at the Naval Submarine Base in Groton.
Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., called the recommendation "irrational and irresponsible."
"It insults our history and endangers our future," he said.
The base - which began construction in 1872 as the Navy's first submarine base - is homeport to 18 attack submarines and home of the Naval Submarine School, three submarine squadrons staffs and other support facilities.
© 2005 The Associated Press.
Good idea.
Clovis, NM, local article on Cannon AFB here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1402632/posts
Not a bad idea, except that the oil and gas areas are a hundred miles or south or across the border in Texas. Major problem is no infrastructure in the immediate area; would need pipelines to be built to and from the facility, not a small cost.
Maybe a wind farm is in the future (just did an ESA for one in the area)
Now that is an excellent point- however, the closures are supposed to be based purely on National Defense needs, NO POLITICS INVOLVED.
Yeah, and angry ones too! I try to understand why these people are angry or worried. It's going to hurt, especially where there is a small town, or state that may not have many bases left. I also try to think of how I'd feel if HAFB in Utah was one of those closed. Sure it would hurt, and I'd be sad, and maybe a little mad!
But just as long as it wasn't political, and there were good reasons to close it, I wouldn't stay mad. At least Rumsfeld or(GWB admin.)can't be logically accused of being political about it! Because some big red states like Texas, and some red states in the south lost some as well as those in the blue column.
I remember how maddening Bill Clinton was being at the time of the last closure. He was so busy sweet-talking, and cosying up to D.Feinstein, and B.Boxer, that it was enough to make one ill! Now that was political!
I would love it if Bush would (go to bat for Thune) and reverse the decision on Ellsworth. Possibly make it a small reduction?
There isn't an oil field or oil pipeline within a hundred miles of Clovis.
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