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Wright-Patt Begins Meetings With Local Leaders On Cost-Cutting Measures

Lewis Wallace
/
WYSO

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is holding meetings all day Thursday to talk about cost-cutting measures. In January, base officials announced they want to attract partnerships with area businesses and governments as a way to save money.

Wright-Patt is like a small city: it takes up 8,000 acres and has over 27,000 civilian and military workers. Like a lot of cities these days, the base is looking at a budget that’s frozen in place. From 2009 to 2012, the base reduced its spending on construction, maintenance, and services like health and education, by more than half, or approximately $1 billion.

The Air Force nationwide has been hard-hit by sequestration cuts. Although some of that funding was restored in the embattled 2014 budget, President Barack Obama is expected to submit a budget for FY2015 that includes further cuts to the Air Force.

Now the base is seeking to share resources by renting out its facilities and going in with nearby cities and towns on maintenance contracts. On Thursday morning the base will give a tour of land it has available for lease. The afternoon will include sessions with city and business leaders on cost-sharing for medical services, infrastructure, education and research.

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