I'd be carefull counting on the BRAC helping local economy. Maryland's economy has been proped up by the promise of the BRAC and word is now the NJ base employee's that are supposed to move to Ft. Mead are fighting it tooth and nail, some have even taken early retirement (cost of living in MD is triple compared to NJ). To top it off in my Opinion if or when a Democrat is elected Pres. (God Help Us!!!) the military will go through a huge "fat trimming" and those 30-60K jobs will dissapear......turning BRAC into more of a BEAC (Base elimination act of Congress), destroying local economy's. I don't mean to put doom and gloom in peoples lives, but until there is a fruitation of the BRAC benifits I wouldn't count on anything..I don't think it's going to be as good as everyone thinks it is, remember the promises are coming from politicians. Agree about BRAC, the thinking is that we are getting commands to relocate (more Generals = more $), we have NASA and Redstone down here and have been very fortunate in regards to both having strong futures. I have seen a YouTube with Mr. Obama discussing cutting defense spending for missile systems and FCS (Future Combat Systems) both of which employ many people here in Huntsville (including myself) and that does scare me (possibly back to the private sector), so I know what you mean (after hunkering down for eight years under Pres. Clinton). No doom and gloom taken...I know you are being a realist...and I know the inherent risk associated with taking "anything" a politician (all parties included) says as the gospel. But I try to be a glass half full person... ;-] Message Edited by HinH on 03-11-2008 07:39 AM I'm usually the half full kinda guy too but BRAC is kinda scaring me right now, at least in the Baltimore/ DC area. We haven't seen the Home Prices fall as much as the rest of the nation (due largely in part to BRAC predictions) and if things don't pan out like they think it's going to, there will be Billions of wasted tax money on infastructure improvments (highways, schools, Utililities) and I'm really afraid that the Housing market adjustments will happen all at once really destroying everything. Basicly MD's economy is being supported by assumptions of BRAC and I really don't like assumtions!! I'd rather see a portion of the Jobs move here before investing, but that's just me. As far as the housing goes, PA and DEL will see the most benifit, people who do move here are prob going to live out of state and commute to avoid MD's taxes and high cost of living squashing the presumption we don't have enough housing (which is supporting housing prices right now). Spending cuts are coming no matter what party is elected, but to what extreme's I have no Idea. I agree if (or when) Obama is elected the Civilian sector of the military will be cut short of being eliminated (have to pay for the Universal Health some how,lol).
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