| Funds approved to fight base closings |
| Local governments will receive about
$200,000 in state funds to fight potential base closings in South
Carolina. The General Assembly appropriated the funds for fiscal year next year. The cities of Beaufort, Columbia and Sumter and Charleston County will receive 50 thousand dollars each to protect installations through studies or public relations efforts. A new round of military cuts will be announced in May 2005 in the federal Base Realignment and Closure program. The Governor's Military Base Advisory Committee and the South Carolina Military Base Task Force have been looking into ways to protect South Carolina’s military bases. Governor Mark Sanford says the money is an appropriate investment to help protect the four billion dollar military industry. |