Editor,

Our son is being reassigned from an Air Force base in Arizona to Florida. Housing prices are such in Arizona that most military folks can’t sell their homes without taking a short sale.

So he’s renting his condo. Luckily, his hometown, Tucson, has other industry to support their population. He should be able to move on.

But, as a result, there is a glut of rentals there, and overall sales are low. Is this what we want for Whidbey?

If we can’t use the base for its intended purpose, including the OLF, imagine the glut of real estate on the books. We have no real economic backup plan. Prices will tumble.

The economic impact of closing or modifying the NAS on Whidbey will be devastating for our community. Job opportunities will plummet, real estate values will plummet island wide, and many folks will be forced to leave the island suffering immense financial loss.

Is this what we want?

CHELLE BRUNKE

Freeland