2,200 JOB LOSSES WILL STING, BUT NOT CRIPPLE.

Byline: Angie Valencia-Martinez and Eric Leach Staff Writers

PORT HUENEME - Many local businesses will feel the sting of some 2,200 job transfers from Naval Base Ventura County to China Lake in the High Desert, but Ventura County's overall economy will not be jolted, economic experts said Thursday.

The nine-member Base Realignment and Closure Commission voted to transfer the jobs - about 12 percent of the base's 17,000 employees - to the Naval Air Weapons Station near Ridgecrest in Kern County.

For months, Southern California officials and businesses have lobbied federal officials to keep the jobs in Ventura County. But following the BRAC Commission's decision, which must still be approved by President George W. Bush and Congress, small businesses were the most concerned about the transfers.

``The mission itself being gone will pose a little bit of an economic loss to Ventura County,'' said Mark Schniepp, director of the Santa Barbara-based California Economic Forecast. ``But when the economy is so vibrant and employment is high, the effects of the departure will not be as great.''

Ed Summers, co-chairman of the Ventura County BRAC Task Force, said the indirect effect of the transfers might not be as bad as originally forecast. At one point, the task force was predicting total job losses of 6,000, including military and civilian employees at the base and jobs at other affected businesses.

``The job loss is not going to be as significant as it appeared when the recommendations were made,'' Summers said. ``It appears less than what we feared, but we're still trying to figure out the overall effect.''

Still, merchants who earn their livelihood off the dollars that base employees spend in their shops are worried about their businesses.

Lourdes Chinsio, who opened the Broasted Chicken restaurant near Port Hueneme a year ago, wondered about the future of her eatery.

``We're very concerned. There's a potential loss of business that we wouldn't know how to replace,'' Chinsio said. ``People that work on the bases live around here. They keep the economy alive. They shop here. They spend their money here.''

Peter Kim, owner of Beachport Cleaners in Port Hueneme, which dry-cleans uniforms from base personnel, said the transfers will be a huge blow.

``It takes away about one-third or more of our business. That's huge.''

Roughly 35 percent of his clients come from military or civilian contractors at the base, most of whom are repeat customers, he said. ``Over the years, we've gotten to know most of our customers by name.''

One factor likely to benefit local businesses is the extended time period during which the move will occur. Some officials say it could take up to six years before all the jobs move.

``A lot can happen in four to six years. We think when all is said and done, the number of jobs lost will be quite a bit less,'' said Bill Simmons, manager of the BRAC Ventura County Task Force. ``We want to attract a lot of new jobs to this base. We'll have opportunities for these employees to move into new jobs.''

Staff Writer Naush Boghossian contributed to this report.

Angie Valencia-Martinez, [phone]

angie.valencia(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Peter Kim says his Beachport Cleaners, across the street from the base in Port Hueneme, may lose one-third of its business.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News

(2 -- color) Jack Dodd, left, Bill Simmons and Kathy Long, with the Ventura County BRAC Task Force, talk with reporters Thursday.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer