Communities point to progress.(Evening)

Byline: Bill Straub Scripps Howard News Service

BRAC BASES IN THE BALANCE

Most jobs were replaced or realigned

Communities are shelling out millions of dollars in an often-futile effort to keep nearby military facilities off the base-closure list, but there is growing evidence that those who have gone through the experience haven't suffered as much as feared.

Local leaders usually are loath to even consider the specter of base closings because of the potential negative impact on the economy. In July 1999, faced with the loss of nearby Fort McClellan, then-Anniston, Ala., Mayor Gene Stedham told congressional overseers "the very survivability of our community is threatened."

And Anthony Principi, chairman of the nine-member commission charged with making …