Stephens Appointed to Military Support and Economic Development Committee

August 30, 2005

Springfield, IL…State Representative Ron Stephens was recently appointed to the Interagency Military Support and Economic Development Committee by House Republican Leader Tom Cross. The newly established committee works to assist communities with economic development after a local military base has been closed.

“The economic impact of a base closing is devastating to small communities,” said Stephens. “Businesses lose a strong customer base and schools lose state funding resources. This committee will work hard to prevent closures and assist communities if a closure would occur.”

The committee will provide recommendations on and be responsible for:

• The formation of a strategic plan for state and local military base retention conversion efforts;
• Issues impacting bases including infrastructure requirements, environmental needs, and tax implications;
• The status of community involvement in retention efforts and support for economic development before and after base closing;
• The development of impact studies concerning closings on the communities, housing, economy, schools, and other public and private entities; and
• The development of future economic expansion plans for areas that are subject to closure.

“After guiding the bill to create this committee through the Illinois House, I am pleased to be appointed to the committee and working to assist local communities with developing a strong economy after a costly military facility closure,” said Stephens.