by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
President George W. Bush’s re-election likely means Pentagon-ordered base closures that could be felt locally will go ahead sooner rather than later, the mayor’s military liaison said this week.
Dan McCarthy was meeting with the State’s top military lobbyists Wednesday morning around the time Sen. John Kerry called the president to concede. Kerry had promised to delay the closures-now scheduled to be announced in May 2005-to give his staff time to review military needs. His defeat may remove the last possible obstruction to the Base Realignment and
Closures.
“The election kind of means that BRAC will proceed as the president has planned,” said McCarthy.
Jacksonville’s four military bases accounted for more than $115 million in tax revenue for the Duval County economy last year, according to a University of West Florida study. Mayor John Peyton has declared his intent to keep all four — Mayport Naval Station, Jacksonville Naval Air Station, Blount Island Command and the Naval Aviation Depot Jacksonville — off the chopping block.
As the election approached, several local legislators said they favored delaying, even eliminating the BRAC process. In August, Sen. Kerry joined the call for postponement. If elected, he said he would stop the next round.
Despite the possibility of losing bases that contribute an estimated $44 billion to the State economy, the governor’s office brushed aside talk of delays. The governor’s top lobbyist, retired four-star admiral Bob Natter, said Florida was uniquely prepared and said the State could end up adding to its military presence by absorbing bases, missions and personnel cut elsewhere.
McCarthy said he emerged from his meeting at the Bank of America Tower with the Governor’s Advisory Council on BRAC optimistic about Jacksonville’s chances to keep its bases. The contents of the meeting were confidential, but McCarthy said the Council’s commitment to all of Florida’s 21 bases was obvious.
“And of those bases the two largest are in Jacksonville: NAS Jacksonville and Mayport, as well as the two largest units the (aircraft carrier) JFK and NADEP.”
The Pentagon is already evaluating bases nationwide and will release its list of recommended closures May 15. Until then, McCarthy said the City would continue to present its bases as efficient and adaptable to the needs of an evolving military.
McCarthy was also heartened by Republican Mel Martinez’ victory in the U.S. Senate race. The former Bush cabinet member was a frequent visitor to Northeast Florida during the campaign and his daughter lives in Jacksonville, said McCarthy.
Sen. John Warner, chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said during the campaign that Martinez’ election would likely land him on the committee. That would give Jacksonville an advocate on the most influential Senate committee in terms of defense. The committee has already held hearings on BRAC and is keeping a close eye on the process. Each of the nine members have lobbied for their home-state interests. McCarthy hoped that would continue if Martinez earns a seat.
“If that comes to fruition, that would be a great thing for us,” he said. “It would put someone with a regional interest in a great position to assist us.”