ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (AP) - Florida National Guard officials are warning budget cuts under consideration by the U.S. Army would eliminate 1,000 people from its ranks.
The Tampa Bay Times reports (https://bit.ly/1fB6Mno ) officials caution the cuts would hamper the Florida Guard’s ability to respond to hurricanes and other disasters.
Florida Guard leaders say the state already lags in National Guard funding.
In 2012, the Florida Guard’s budget was $467 million. Ten other states had higher budgets, even though Florida is prone to hurricanes.
Lt. Col. James Evans called the proposed cuts “unacceptable.”
The budget process is still in its early stages and the Army proposal could be altered. But Evans said Florida Guard officials believe early talk of cuts is serious.
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Information from: Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Fla.), https://www.tampabay.com.
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