Steve Austria on the region's future

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - There's no surprise here, Congressman Steve Austria, 7th District/Ohio (R) believes our region's best bet for lasting job creation lies inside the gates at our states largest single site employer, Wright Patterson Air Force Base.
More specifically UAV research underway at AFRL. But before that can really take-off, Austria says Ohio must have cleared air space from the FAA to test the aircraft.. Austria is currently drafting legislation that will allow that to happen.

"I have language included in the FAA authorization bill that would set-up pilot programs to compete for and hopefully get that air space that will bring those businesses to Ohio and in turn that would mean hundreds and possibly thousands of new jobs in our area, " Austria said.
 
He says target sites include the struggling air park in Wilmington and Springfield's under-utilized Air National Guard Base.     

To increase business outside the gates, Austria says his Blue Ribbon Commission, set-up to help local companies better compete for the $21 billion in government contracts annually has already shown signs of success.

But Austria says our regions biggest threat might be the new re-districting maps that have been drawn-up in Columbus, meaning the virtual elimination of the 7th district and Austria's job at the end of this year.

"It's a shame because to lose representation the real losers are the residents who lose a representative in congress representing them in Washington and Wright-Patt which will go from three members who currently represent the base down to one member representing the base," Austria said.

About Austria's future? "Well let me make it very clear I am not retiring," he said. "I still have one more year in congress. We've got a lot of work to do in 2012. Were going to be focused on that and I'm going to keep all my opportunities open."