Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi Responds to Recent BRAC Announcement

January 30, 2012

In response to a recent announcement by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta which includes a proposal for new BRAC rounds in 2013 and 2015, Assemblymember Anthony J. Brindisi (D-Utica) sent a letter to Governor Cuomo asking him to include funding in this year’s state budget to help ensure the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome is well positioned.

“Rome Labs, DFAS, and Griffiss Business and Technology Park are vital to the Mohawk Valley economy,” Brindisi said. “The park currently supports fifty-eight hundred jobs, so we must be proactive in our approach to any future BRAC rounds.”

A successful comprehensive plan was put into place before the last round of cuts that took place in 2005, involving local leaders at all levels. Not only did Rome Labs and DFAS survive the cuts, they flourished.

“Too many local families depend on these jobs,” said Brindisi. “We need to come together again as one strong united front to keep Rome Labs and DFAS in the Mohawk Valley.”

January 27, 2012

Governor Andrew Cuomo
Executive Chamber
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224

Dear Governor Cuomo:

I am writing to you to request the restoration of a $125,000 appropriation to the 2012-2013 New York State Budget for ‘Griffiss Air Force Base Redevelopment.’ This funding was included in last year’s state budget.

I would ask that this funding be redirected to the Cyber New York Defense Alliance for local efforts to retain the Air Force Research Laboratory at Rome. As you are aware, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has proposed two new rounds of military facility closings, and has requested that Congress establish another Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) for 2013, and again in 2015.

Secretary Panetta is proposing cutting about $500 Billion over the next ten years from the Defense Department Budget. It is vitally important that all of us begin strategizing to prevent any significant cuts to Rome Lab. Rome Lab’s Economic Impact Study released last year stated that the economic impact, including a $141 Million payroll, has increased steadily in recent years, and was over $284 Million in the 2010 federal fiscal year that ended last September 30th. The report estimates the number of indirect jobs related to the lab is 1,504. There are 718 positions at the lab; of those, the report states that about 97 percent of the employees live in the five-county region surrounding Rome.

The Lab is the hub of the Griffiss Business and Technology Park, (formerly Griffiss Air Force Base) in Rome. If it is significantly scaled back or closed, many of the businesses in the park will be significantly affected, and some may have to close. This would have an enormous ripple effect in the Mohawk Valley region, since many local businesses and vendors would lose business.

In addition, there are two other federal installations that could be affected if there are two more rounds of BRAC closings. The federal Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) employs 1,180 people in the Griffiss Business Park. In 2005, this facility was under consideration for closure during the last round of BRAC hearings, and a coalition of community leaders were able to convince the panel that the employees at DFAS were highly productive and they were doing valuable work that could not be duplicated at another Defense Department facility.

In addition, the Eastern Air Defense Sector (EADS) has 400 employees, monitoring all air traffic along the Eastern Seaboard. Although it has more than demonstrated its important role in the nation’s defense system, we still must insure that its operations are not curtailed in the next several years by BRAC.

Last year, a coalition formed to address the possibility of another round of federal Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) hearings in 2015. This group, known as the Cyber New York Defense Alliance, has been working diligently to protect Central New York’s defense and cybersecurity industry. The announcement by Secretary Panetta this week that he is recommending that there should be two rounds of BRAC hearings in 2013 and 2015 demonstrates that it is extremely important for military and elected officials; economic development agency representatives; and business and academic leaders to strategize and present a strong collaborative approach in preparation for the likelihood of another round of BRAC hearings next year.

I have attended initial planning sessions of this group. It already is bringing together many of the experts who should be involved in an ongoing effort to find ways to demonstrate to BRAC members the importance the Lab has to the nation’s cyber security and intelligence operations, and to the economy of upstate New York.

I am respectfully asking you to provide this not-for-profit organization with any and all available resources to assist it in its highly important mission to save our federal military installations in Rome, New York.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call my office. Thank you very much for your interest in this very important matter.

Sincerely,
Anthony J. Brindisi
Member of Assembly

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