The across-the-board federal budget cuts known as sequestration were never supposed to actually happen. They were designed as a deterrent to force Congress to agree to a long-term deal on taxes and spending.
But because warring lawmakers could not come to terms, the sequester went into grinding effect this year, and the painful cuts are already being felt in a number of ways.
The First Coast saw one visible reminder of sequestration when the 2013 air show at the Beaches was canceled. The reason: the Navy's Blue Angels had been grounded due to federal budget cuts.
And there's more to come.
Jacksonville is a Navy town, and sequestration is affecting every corner of the defense budget. So furloughs, layoffs, and canceled contracts are just some of the unwelcome effects. Critical programs like Meals on Wheels are also being impacted.
"We'll continue to see effects not just among active duty military, but also all the ancillary industries in our area that rely on government contracts," says UNF political science chair Matt Corrigan.
