Mr. Mayor,
We had a war back in 1776. It was about taxation without representation. Do you remember? It was a pretty big deal back then and still is in 2006. It's such a big deal that we have men dying to make sure it happens in Iraq.
Are you and your administration are familiar with the bill of rights? In case you forgot the first amendment is spelled out below.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
Notice the last part of the 1st amendment. Folks in your administration are saying the master jet base petition is illegal. It appears to me the petition is perfectly within the legal rights given to the citizens of the United States by the 1st amendment.
You were elected to serve the will of the people. You are plowing ahead with selling off parts of Cecil with no regard for what the majority of the citizens of Jacksonville want. The Master Base can help secure the financial future of Jacksonville. We can have the Jet Base and still continue to attract great business partners to Jacksonville.
You are the "CEO" of the city and are ultimately responsible for all that goes on in your government. Get control of the folks in your administration and make sure they are familiar with 1st amendment. Stop the city's lawsuit. If you don't, I along with all of my friends will exercise our right to vote for someone else come election time.
Sincerely,
Chris Kirkman
Jacksonville Resident
Chris Morgan
Important factors will converge over the next few years that will significantly affect the Navy's presence in the Jacksonville area.
ONE. The imminent loss of USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67). The ship's crew numbers nearly 3000. With a full airwing of two thousand plus service members (who could be based at Cecil Field in the future) an aircraft carrier supports almost 5000 men and women engaged in the defense of the nation.
TWO. The Base Realignment And Closure (BRAC) program is realigning Naval Air Depots (NADEPS), including ours, as Fleet Readiness Centers (FRCs). The Depots are sophisticated industrial facilities that repair and maintain P-3s, along with helicopters, and carrier based aircraft. Jacksonville will receive approximately 2000 personnel over the next five years from the closure of NAS Brunswick (Maine). However, the dozens of P-3s from Brunswick along with the current Jacksonville compliment of P-3s will be replaced over the coming decade by another aircraft, the MMA, which will be supported by Boeing contract maintenance only. There is no requirement that these jet aircraft be repaired or maintained in our area. NADEP JAX located, onboard the Naval Air Station Jacksonville, employs highly skilled aircraft mechanics and pays some of the highest industrial wages in our city. As workloads for the new FRCs are programmed based on anticipated numbers of aircraft in locations throughout the country, decisions made over the coming year could change the scope and size of military aircraft facilities here.
THREE. Basing Navy F-18 fighter jets at Cecil Field provides a compelling reason to replace the USS John F. Kennedy with another aircraft carrier. She directly supports thousands of additional jobs related to maintenance, logistics, and support of the sailors and their families. In addition, the dozens of S-3 Viking carrier based antisubmarine aircraft that currently fly out of NAS are being removed from service, without replacement. Without Cecil Field, carrier squadrons will not have to be stationed locally and the 2000 pilots and airmen assigned to an airwing may have to be located outside our economic markets.
FOUR. Most areas gain or lose military jobs from BRAC. Few remain untouched. BRAC indicates significant trends in the size and location of naval bases. Only a few busy fleet areas gained more than 1000 total jobs. These include San Diego, Norfolk, and Jacksonville. BRAC is intended, in part, to save money. But it also shapes the military forces to reflect new thoughts on the needs of each service. Many small bases will close as the fleet attempts to gain economic advantages of scale by concentrating ships and aircraft in fewer locations. Though Jacksonville appears to be a "winner" in the latest BRAC round, it loses jobs overall after the USS Kennedy leaves the area for decommissioning. Reopening Cecil would be a huge gain in jobs, making Jacksonville the largest gaining navy area under this BRAC. In contrast, San Francisco politics shunned the military in the early 90's. The BRAC Commission (not the Navy) made the decision to close almost all naval activities in the Bay Area, severely impacting their economy. Let me emphasize - the Navy holds no reciprocating demands over Jacksonville. Simply, it is wise for us to be inviting to one of our best employers - an employer that is looking to build more facilities and place more employees into our economy.
FIVE. Cecil Field provides safe and sensible air space for Navy pilots. NAS Oceana is critically encroached by local development right up to its fence. Due to this, the BRAC Commission demands that air operations cease at Virginia Beach, regardless of whether Cecil Field reopens. There is no option to keep Oceana open. This is federal law! The Navy has researched other options such as building a landing field in North Carolina to simulate the deck of an aircraft carrier (like Cecil Field does). Also, the state of Texas is researching the expansion of former military sites to compete for the Atlantic Fleet squadrons. The safety of the North Carolina field is affected by large numbers of birds feeding from local grain farms, which will likely shut down this option. Locating squadrons in Texas, on the other hand, separates the carriers from the squadrons and places them on separate coasts! Local training areas further support the mission of carrier aircraft and make good sense. No location is perfect, but Cecil is a great option for Navy pilots and aircrews that defend our freedom.
SIX. Reopening Cecil is an important investment for the Navy and less expensive for taxpayers. Restoring a master jet base to Cecil Field will cost the navy millions of dollars, versus the billions of dollars to build an air station from scratch. Existing businesses would not necessarily have to move. Marine Corps Air Station Yuma supports military and public air usage, and could be an example of complimentary usage by the military and DoD contractors. Most current occupants of Cecil are other federal agencies, and occupy non-critical buildings. Even if the Navy builds more hangers and facilities to keep the businesses nearby, hangers are comparatively simply to build. The greatest expenses in building an airfield are the environmental and air use studies, landing areas, air tower and navigation equipment, and maintenance facilities. Most of these remain in operating condition at Cecil. Plenty of area remains available for building needed facilities within the boundaries of the Cecil area. Money saved by restoring Cecil Field as a Naval Air Station could be used to increase our fleet and support the Navy's critical shipbuilding program!
SEVEN. Civic Pride. Jacksonville is proud to be a navy town. It supports the men and women serving us. Its officers, sailors, and civilian employees are good citizens. They volunteer in our schools and communities, donate to local charities, and provide for a steady economy. Supporting a continued, strong navy presence here has been our tradition for generations.
Citizens deserve a voice in every election and in economic decisions that will affect all taxpayers for decades to come. Reopening Cecil Field as a Naval Air Station saves billions of dollars for the military - money the Navy needs to build more ships and continue defending the nation!