A Republican lawmaker puts some of the blame for military losses this state is seeing in the latest round of base closings on the previous administration in the governor’s office. About three thousand jobs have been lost in the closings of the finance operations in Kansas City and St. Louis and the human resources center in St. Louis, another 200 from a Marine Corps Reserve unit in Kansas City. And about 1,200 jobs at an Air National Guard unit at Lambert Field could be on the chopping block today. Representative Jack Jackson of Wildwood says this state has military functions for a reason. He blames, in part, former Governor Bob Holden for not getting information to military planners two years ago when the base closing process started. He also says the state’s congressional delgation bears responsibility to a lesser extent. Former Governor Holden says the Blunt Administration does not have its facts straight and does not have a good memory of what transpired as it tries to blame his administration for costing the state defense jobs. Holden says his administration did several things to protect the units. But it was the Blunt Administration that closed Washington’s lobbying office, saying it wasn’t necessary because the state has a strong Congressional delegation that can do that job.
