Sequester could adversely affect community jobs

The Monroe County Airport might have to cease operation, and the Monroe County Community School Corporation could lose $560,000 if scheduled budget cuts are implemented subsequently following lack of a proposal from Congress or President Barack Obama.

The sequester calls for $85 billion nationwide in spending cuts for the remaining fiscal year. However, the sequester will also have implications on state and local levels.

Air traffic control elimination

Bruce Payton, director of the Monroe County Airport, said the impacts of the sequester are quite clear.

“If this happens, Monroe County Airport’s air-traffic control services will cease operation here on April 1,” Payton said.

The sequester will cut $600 million from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Monroe County air-traffic control tower is currently funded in part with a federal cost-share program. Payton said operation cost of the lower cost $437,000 in 2012, of which 84 percent was paid by the federal government.

Payton said the airport has about 120 flights, per year both incoming and outgoing. Large aircrafts carrying 40 to 170 passengers often come to the airport due to its close proximity to IU-Bloomington and Cook Medical.

“With all this very high-profile traffic coming in and sophisticated aircrafts, mixing them in the small airspace around Monroe County Airport, we believe the air-traffic control services here are important for everyone’s safety,” Payton said.   

Payton said approximately 23,000 takeoffs and landings occur at the Monroe County Airport on an annual basis, while the tower is open. He said approximately another 20 to 25 percent landings and take-offs came in late at night.

“If Monroe County feels we should still keep this going, 100 percent of the funding will have to from the county again,” Payton said.

In the past, Monroe County officials agreed it was valuable enough to fund the tower locally, Payton said.

He said the airport was able to gain entry into a federal cost-share program for the tower in 1995.

Payton said there is potential for safety concern with the elimination of the air-traffic control tower.

“Absolutely, in my mind, it is not as safe without the air-traffic controllers as it is with the air-traffic controllers in the area,” Payton said.

Payton said it is a possibility for a total of five workers, four air traffic controllers and a manager, to lose their jobs as a result of the sequester.

“It’s probably some of the most important jobs around the area,” Payton said.

Defense

Lt. Col. Cathy Van Bree, public affairs officer for the Indiana National Guard, said there is a potential furlough that will occur in late April and affect the National Guard, as a result of the sequester.

According to a report from the White House, approximately 11,000 Indiana civilian Department of Defense employees could be furloughed.

Van Bree said the potential furlough could affect half of the full-time employees at the Indiana National Guard by making them go into furlough one day for every 22 weeks.

“What we will see is a decline in overall readiness on the full-time side,” Van Bree said. “Repair parts may be put on back order due to a lack of funding. Ground maintenance and aviation maintenance numbers will slow down.”

Van Bree said the furlough will not affect the National Guard’s ability to respond to a national or state emergency, because they have more than just full-time employees.

The DOD is required to notify Congress 45 days before any workers are furloughed.

Education

As a result of the sequester, MCCSC is expecting to lose $560,000 or 8.2 percent in federal grants.

Beverly Smith, director of school and community services for MCCSC, said federally supported programs such as Title I, which helps fund preschool programs, the Individuals with Disabilities Act, English Language Acquisition, Career and Technical Education and 21st Century Community Learning Centers.

“Not a lot is known of  what the final impact is going to be,” Smith said. “However, should it go through, we have reasons to be concerned.”

Smith said the MCCSC school board signed a resolution in November lessen the adverse implications of the cuts.

“Well, certainly these particular moneys are used to fund programs that impact students, so there is a direct correlation,” Smith said.

Health

Penny Caudill, administrator for the Monroe County Health Department, said it’s hard for the health department to know what may happen because they don’t receive direct funds.

Caudill said all  the Monroe County Health Department funds are passed through the state.

“Most of the things that will impact us will be indirect,” Caudill said.

Statewide, Indiana will lose approximately $619,000 which would be used to respond to public health threats, according to the White House report.

“At a national level, you have a reduction in food safety that’s going to play a part, because we might see more foodborne illness and outbreaks at the local level we would have to deal with,” Caudill said.