Gov. Mark R. Warner

RICHMOND — Gov. Mark R. Warner rallied lawmakers Monday to help preserve Oceana Naval Air Station, warning that a failure to do so could cost the state other key military forces, including its coveted aircraft carriers.

“The fact of the matter is, the future basing of the fleet may well be tied to where the jets end up,” he told members of the General Assembly’s budget committees.

Warner made his plea for Oceana during his annual presentation to legislators on state finances.

The governor told lawmakers that he will appoint four work groups to develop a state plan for responding to military base closings and expansions recommended last week by the Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission.

One of those groups will focus on Oceana and Fentress Naval Auxiliary Landing Field in Chesapeake.

The BRAC Commission demanded that Virginia Beach and state officials come up with a plan for clearing areas around Oceana that are considered vulnerable to accidents. About 1,800 homes would need to be condemned and removed to comply with the commission’s vote. The commission ordered the city to spend at least $15 million annually toward achieving that goal.

Warner acknowledged that meeting those demands would be “difficult and expensive.” But he warned that the economic impact of ignoring the BRAC demands could be severe.

The governor reminded lawmakers that Oceana would remain a military base under the BRAC recommendations even if the jets are moved.

“We could end up with the worst option, where the jets leave and a greatly reduced version of the base stays open,” Warner told reporters after his speech. “That doesn’t allow the community to gain any economic development opportunity, but you’ve got this big hole where you used to have an economic engine.”

Warner already has proposed to earmark $25 million from this year’s budget surplus for communities that are affected by shifts in military operations. He declined to say how much more state money would be needed to help preserve Oceana.

Warner cited the military base costs as one reason why legislators should be cautious in their reaction to this year’s $544 million surplus. He listed $2.8 billion in required spending over the next two years, including $1.2 billion in new public school expenses, $500 million for indigent health care and $415 million to reimburse cities and counties for lost car tax collections.

Legislators were divided in their response to Warner’s appeal for Oceana.

State Sen. Kenneth W. Stolle, R-Virginia Beach, predicted that lawmakers will approve aid for Oceana next year once they see the economic impact of the base. He cited state and regional calculations that the base generates $106 million in state revenues and $62 million in local revenues from salaries and tax collections.

Senate Finance Chairman John H. Chichester, R-Stafford, said he will support a package of financial assistance. However, he added, Virginia Beach must be willing to pay its share because the city shoulders most of the blame for allowing development to encroach on the base.

“There’s some local government fingers that could be pointed there,” he said. “... It’s not our fault, but we’re going to have to pay.”

Del. Lionell Spruill Sr., D-Chesapeake, said he will back aid for Oceana and Fentress even though many constituents have urged him to oppose it.

“I’m getting calls saying, 'Why should we clean up the city council’s mess? They brought it on themselves,’” he said.

Some lawmakers from outside of South Hampton Roads have voiced strong skepticism about the BRAC demands.

“The BRAC Commission is basically sending us on a fool’s errand,” Del. William R. Janis, R-Henrico said after Monday’s meeting. “They’ve raised the bar so incredibly high it’s almost as if they’re setting the legislature up for failure.”

Reach Christina Nuckols at (804) 697-1562 or christina.nuckols@pilotonlineonline.com.