News

Principi's words promising
By Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Advocates for Ellsworth Air Force Base may have a new ally - the chairman of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission.

As members of the commission prepare to cast their final votes on the Pentagon's list of base closings this week, chairman Anthony Principi indicated he is not convinced Ellsworth Air Force Base should be shuttered.

Principi said in an interview aired on C-SPAN on Tuesday that he is concerned the Pentagon overestimated the savings associated with some of the recommendations, and he used Ellsworth as his first example.

"Ellsworth comes to mind," he said.

Principi said that a significant portion of Ellsworth's savings are linked to military personnel, but that many of those personnel will be moved to other bases.

"From our accounting perspective, it is really not a cost savings," he said. "It costs you money to move those B-1B bombers to Dyess."

Under the Pentagon's plan, Ellsworth's 29 planes would join the rest of the fleet at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas. South Dakota's congressional delegation has argued that consolidating all the nation's B-1B Lancer bombers could be a threat to homeland security.

The Pentagon estimates it will spend $299 million to shut the base down and will save $1.9 billion from Ellsworth over the next 20 years. The delegation has argued that the savings are closer to $740 million and forwarded that analysis to the commission.

Principi said the commission will also take into account the impact of Ellsworth's closing on South Dakota's economy.

"Ellsworth is the second-largest employer in the state - a very, very significant impact," he said.

When asked to make an argument in favor of closing Ellsworth, Principi was more vague.

"Some believe you can consolidate all of your B-1B bombers at one place," he said. "There is a certain synergy, effectiveness you can have."

The commission vote on Ellsworth and other Air Force bases is expected to come Thursday or Friday. A base can be dropped from the Pentagon list, which was released in May, if five out of the nine commissioners agree.

After the commission releases its final list, it will be forwarded to the White House and Congress for an up or down vote.

Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., said it is his sense that "quite a few members" of the commission are concerned with the cost savings issue.

"It is encouraging to see the main thrust of arguments we have been making over the last few months be gaining some traction," he said.

Johnson added, "It could go either way, and I think we all know that."

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., agreed Principi's comments were encouraging but issued similar caution.

Principi "is one person on the commission, and we don't know yet where they are going to come down," Thune said Tuesday.

Thune, Johnson, Democratic Rep. Stephanie Herseth and Republican Gov. Mike Rounds said in a joint statement this week that Ellsworth still faces obstacles.

"Historically, the odds are against us no matter how persuasive our case," they wrote. "The Pentagon eyed Ellsworth for closure very early in the process, and the BRAC was designed to favor its recommendations."

Principi said he understands the political pressure on Thune and other members but that the commission's decisions will be based on "what is best for Ellsworth and our country."

Thune defeated Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., last November after the two debated who would be best able to save Ellsworth. Thune argued that he would have the ear of President Bush.

Principi said the president has stayed out of the process.

"The president has been hands off," said Principi, former secretary of veterans affairs. "No one has called me about that."