State Sen. Carlos Truan said lawmakers should set aside money to help fight the potential closure of Texas bases and to assist military communities.
Nothing is safe.
Truan, who also serves on the Senate Finance Committee, said he plans to ask fellow lawmakers, acting Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff and Gov. Rick Perry to set aside emergency appropriations to help the state save its bases. He didn't specify an amount that the Legislature needs to set aside for this. Perry spokeswoman Kathy Walt said the governor already has cautioned that the surplus isn't as large this year as it was two years ago. Truan made his comments days after U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm said that base closures are inevitable unless there is an boost in defense spending to cover increasing costs for technological advances. There are no new Base Realignment and Closure lists out yet, but hearings could start as early as this spring - or be delayed several years, state military officials said.