FAIRBORN â If sequestration budget cuts werenât enough to deal with, nationwide military base closures could also hurt the Miami Valley.
Just blocks away from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is the Birdcage Consignment shop in downtown Fairborn. Ron Pain has run the shop, which sells a little of everything, for the last five years.
âI just enjoy doing it, and hopefully we can continue,â Pain said.
He says many of his customers come from the base and canât imagine how more cuts, on top of the sequester, will impact the area.
Community leaders gathered to try to stay a step ahead of the Base Realignment and Closure or BRAC.
BRAC closed several military bases throughout the country in 2005 to save the government money. During that time, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base came out relatively unscathed.
âIt was over 1,200 mission, people were brought to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base," said Jeff Hoagland, President of Dayton Development Coalition. "Construction of over $300 million and it really solidified Wright-Patterson moving forwardâ
2015 could be the next time we see BRAC closures, and while Wright-Patterson isnât expected to close, there could be more cuts.
âIf we lose 5 percent to 10 percent thatâs thousands of jobs and it's millions of dollars to the region and state of Ohioâ said Hoagland.
For local businesses like the Birdcage Consignment shop, which rely on the base for a customer base, the potential cuts isn't good news. Ron Pain says heâs going to do the best he can, which is to prepare and remain optimistic.
âI just hope things stay on the up and up, and weâll just have to adjust if things happen and hopefully continue on,â said Pain.
Just blocks away from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is the Birdcage Consignment shop in downtown Fairborn. Ron Pain has run the shop, which sells a little of everything, for the last five years.
âI just enjoy doing it, and hopefully we can continue,â Pain said.
He says many of his customers come from the base and canât imagine how more cuts, on top of the sequester, will impact the area.
Community leaders gathered to try to stay a step ahead of the Base Realignment and Closure or BRAC.
BRAC closed several military bases throughout the country in 2005 to save the government money. During that time, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base came out relatively unscathed.
âIt was over 1,200 mission, people were brought to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base," said Jeff Hoagland, President of Dayton Development Coalition. "Construction of over $300 million and it really solidified Wright-Patterson moving forwardâ
2015 could be the next time we see BRAC closures, and while Wright-Patterson isnât expected to close, there could be more cuts.
âIf we lose 5 percent to 10 percent thatâs thousands of jobs and it's millions of dollars to the region and state of Ohioâ said Hoagland.
For local businesses like the Birdcage Consignment shop, which rely on the base for a customer base, the potential cuts isn't good news. Ron Pain says heâs going to do the best he can, which is to prepare and remain optimistic.
âI just hope things stay on the up and up, and weâll just have to adjust if things happen and hopefully continue on,â said Pain.
