Utah Senator Orrin Hatch visited state representatives in the House Wednesday to deliver what he called unhappy news. He says the Sequester, the automatic across-the-board spending cuts, will happen and it will be a difficult thing, especially for civilian employees at Hill Air Force Base.
”and it’s certainly going to hit a lot of small contractors and it’s also going to hit our workforce up there, is about two thirds civilian. So if you can imagine we’ve got to be prepared for whatever comes,”says Hatch.
The senator says up to 11 thousand 100 of Hill’s civilian workers could be furloughed for 22 days beginning April 1st. He says the total cost to the state would be 86.3 million dollars if the sequestration goes on very long. He says he sees very little desire by the current administration to cut spending.
“So we’re just going to have to fight it out back there and I hope that we can be successful in getting at some reductions in spending that we would not otherwise get,” Hatch says.
Hatch praised state law makers and residents for living within their means. He said Washington should look to Utah as an example of how compromises can be made for the good of everyone. Unless congress acts, the “sequester” spending will begin to take effect March 1.
