Sequestration, the automatic cuts to discretionary spending, are scheduled to go into affect on March 1 unless Congress and the President can agree to $1.2 trillion in deficit reductions spread over 9 years.
Discretionary spending makes up about one third of the annual federal budget. Non-defense discretionary spending includes, among other things, transportation, energy and environment, education and the government.
The automatic cuts are part of the Budget Control Act of 2011 and were meant to be so drastic and uncompromising that Congress and the President would never let them happen but after extending the deadline twice and with Congress in recess it appears the cuts will take affect on March 1.
The automatic cuts are to be split evenly between defense and non-defense spending.
According to the group forthecommondefense.org Santa Cruz County would lose $8.7 million in defense related spending over nine years if sequestration is implemented. California will lose nearly $4 billion over the same period. A quarter of all the losses will be seen in San Diego County where there is a large military presence.
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