Friday, May 13, 2005

More Base Closing Items

Rather than continuing to add more updates to the base closing post below, I’ll start a new one here to add a few thoughts and questions.

The 183rd is in the process of getting a new, 45,000-square-foot, $10 million building. Seems like a waste if the bulk of the unit is now going to leave. Can oil refineries use this type of building?

How many minutes of the Iraq War will be paid for with the savings from moving the 183rd.

No one in power is going to make much of a stink about the 183rd’s move. Rep. Ray Lahood gets to keep the 182nd in Peoria, Lane Evans doesn’t have that much at stake here in Springfield, and John Shimkus gets an expansion of Scott AFB. No, the 183rd has no champion. Even Mayor Davlin, so far, doesn’t seem to worked up about it. Additionally, there are some really big bases being closed around the country that are going to get all the attention.

What is this going to mean for Capital Airport? Surely, there will be some net loss of operating funds. Right? I have no idea how the airport is sustained financially but I doubt the 183rd was a burden.

Will this at all affect the ability to get military aircraft for Air Rendezvous? If the location becomes a maintenance facility, I suppose not. But what happens if it becomes home to only desk pilots or, worse, is eventually shut down altogether?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Scott AFB is located in the 12th CD & not the 19th. Jerry Costello has worked hard to keep the largest employer in So. IL open & operational.

John Shimkus does almost nothing & for some reason, gets a lot of credit & support. He wants to be governor or at least treasurer. Not a good thing.

Hopefully, we'll get Shimkus out of office & Tim Bagwell in office. We'll be able to give credit where credit is due.

Shimkus deserves nothing but an unemployment check.