Posted: | June 23, 2014 02:16 PM |
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From: | Representative Nick Miccarelli and Rep. Harry Readshaw |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Codification of Pennsylvania Military Community Protection Commission |
In the very near future, we will be introducing legislation to codify the Pennsylvania Military Community Protection Commission into state statute. The base realignment and closure (BRAC) process is the process in which military installations across the nation are reviewed to determine if functions and bases can be consolidated or closed. The BRAC process reflects the Department of Defense’s desire to eliminate excess capacity, experience the savings from that reduction in capacity, and fund higher priority weapon platforms and troop training. Indications are that the next round of the BRAC process may occur in 2017. In order to position Pennsylvania for this eventuality, in 2011 the co-sponsors created the bipartisan and bicameral legislative Military Installations and Base Development Caucus. This legislative caucus is currently chaired by Senators Alloway and Blake and Representatives Miccarelli and Readshaw. Governor Corbett also recognized the threat that BRAC decisions pose to the state’s economy and subsequently issued Executive Order 2012-12 to establish the Pennsylvania Military Community Protection Commission with the direct mission to enhance, preserve and protect military installations in Pennsylvania and to advocate on behalf of the Commonwealth. This Executive Commission receives an annual appropriate in DCED’s budget and currently has 2 full-time staff. http://www.oa.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/executive_orders/708 This legislation would codify the Pennsylvania Military Community Protection Commission under state statute and elevate its status from an entity operating under auspices of Executive Order to one having statutory recognition and powers. The advantages to codifying the Pennsylvania Military Community Protection Commission are:
A review of other states’ efforts reveals that many states operate under state legislation [Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas], some under executive order, and a few under public private partnerships with some state funding. The remaining states have either no government body established to coordinate any efforts or the effort has been run by a private entity, usually a Chamber of Commerce. But most tellingly, the states that pose the largest directly competitive threat to installations here in Pennsylvania due to perceived value of military assets and perceived influence with the Pentagon are all established under legislation. Additionally, competing states are making bold moves to position themselves. For example, Connecticut has now invested $30 million in the last two years into their one installation. New York is adding $2 m for Fort Drum this fiscal year. Massachusetts has authorized $170 m bond for “encouraging improvement, expansion and development of military installations”. Please join us in helping to better position Pennsylvania for the future against what will undoubtedly be a very difficult BRAC process. |