Tagged: sequestration

Regional news from the KBIA Newsroom, including:

• Federal sequestration cuts will close Columbia's airport control tower
• MoDOT issues travel advisory ahead of winter storm
• 'Earth Hour' organizers say it's more than electricity
  

On Friday, the Columbia Regional Airport received notice that its control tower was among 149 around the country[PDF] that would close as a result of federal sequestration cuts. The closure is expected to take place at some point between April 7 and May 7.

Administrators at local and regional agencies that aid low-income Missourians say they are keeping an eye on the impact of the sequester, or across-the-board federal spending cuts, and they fear the cuts could negatively impact their agencies. 

While many questions about the impact of sequestration rollout remain, Missouri's Community Action Agencies are expecting an all-around 5 percent budget cut due to the federal sequestration.  This could mean serious cutbacks to several services provided by the agency.

Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri said she's planning to introduce a bill that would cut pay for members of Congress if federal employees are furloughed because of the so-called “sequestration,” or across-the-board spending cuts.

The bill calls for a reduction in Congressional salaries once federal furloughs begin. As the sequestration goes into effect, many federal workers are expected to be subject to furloughs because Congress and the White House did not reach an agreement on a deficit reduction plan.