Newstalk Florida – N

Standing outside the gate of MacDill Air Force Base, Col. Scott DeThomas said the effect of the government shutdown will be severe on the 1,500 civilians forced to take unpaid time off, the military personnel who will have to pick up the slack and the local economy.

DeThomas, the base commander, said the cumulative loss of pay is about $400,000 per day. And the longer this goes on, the worse the effects on individuals and base efficiency.

Though military personnel wiill still be paid, DeThomas said the closing of the base commissary will hurt because grocery bills are about 30 percent cheaper there.

Source: The Tampa Tribune