North Island Worker Layoff Proposal Played Down by Officials

Officials downplayed a Pentagon proposal Thursday to cut costs by shutting down the Naval Aviation Depot at North Island Naval Air Station, which would force the layoff of 4,500 civilian employees.

A report in the San Diego Tribune warning of the possible loss of 4,500 jobs caused “much concern” Thursday, said local Navy spokesman Mike Hammond, who added that the announcement was premature. In Washington, an aide to Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Coronado) said the option to close the depot “is absolutely the least likely to be implemented.”

Both Hammond and Hunter aide John Palafoutas said the proposal is part of a broader Pentagon plan being considered to cut military spending. Pentagon officials are expected to announce the cuts next month, said Palafoutas.

A wide variety of options is being considered, but the chance of the depot being closed is slim, he added. The option involving North Island would have Navy planes flown to the Air Force’s Logistic Center in Sacramento for maintenance.

“The Department of Defense is spending $25 million to upgrade the facility at North Island to accommodate nuclear carriers and the 90 to 100 planes they carry. It doesn’t make sense to take the Navy planes and fly them all the way to Sacramento,” Palafoutas said.

He added that Pentagon officials have assured Hunter there is nothing to worry about.

“We’ve got 4,500 employees asking, ‘What am I going to get in my stocking for Christmas?’ We’re saying that it’s not going to be a cold Christmas,” said Palafoutas.

He said another option being studied is combining a similar facility at Alameda in the Bay Area with North Island, and turning the depot here into a hub for some ships and planes of the Pacific fleet.