The Honorable Donald H. Rumsfeld
Secretary
Department of Defense
100 Defense Pentagon
Washington, D.C.  20301

Dear Secretary Rumsfeld:

As president of, and representing the 134,000 members of the California Association of REALTORS®, I urge you when analyzing the upcoming round of base closures and realignments to consider both the vital role military bases play in California's communities and the inequitable burden California has bared in prior years.

The members of C.A.R. wish to impress upon you the severe economic impact that the closure of a base can bring about, reaching far beyond the real estate market and touching every aspect of a community.  In these trying economic times of high unemployment, large government deficits, and the ever-constant threat of terrorism, both the financial and personal security that a military instillation brings to a community is too valuable an asset to lose.

Additionally, California has shouldered a disproportionate amount of cuts from previous closures.  During the prior round, 60 percent of net personnel loss took place in California despite the fact that it housed at that time only 15 percent of the nation's military personnel.  Currently only 10 percent of the nation's military employees are housed in California.  We are asking that you take this into consideration and not close any further military instillations in California.

We thank you for your consideration of these comments.  If you would like to discuss the issue presented in this letter in more detail, please do not hesitate to contact our Director of Public Policy, Ms. Janet M. Gagnon at 213-739-8272.

Sincerely,
Ann Pettijohn
President, California Association of REALTORS®