Federal shutdown could trickle down to region, but you can take steps to minimize damage

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) -- As the Miami Valley’s largest employer, when Wright Patterson Air Force Base sneezes, the rest of us catch a cold.

Wright-Patt is four times bigger than the second-largest employer. Without those workers being paid, many nearby businesses also won’t be getting paid either.

The base pours billions of dollars into the Dayton economy, meaning that over time, if that money stops, it could be all poured out of our region.

Many people in the region could feel the impact of the shutdown, from the federal workers on the base itself to the workers at the fast-food places down the road.

Micheal Gessle, vice president of federal government programs for the Dayton Development Coalition, said not only will the shutdown impact the tens of thousands on base, but the thousands o