Shutdown takes hold

As the government shutdown continues, Huntsville is bracing for impact.

Why it matters: Much of Huntsville's economy is driven by the federal government to some degree.

• That's especially true for the 45,000-plus workers on Redstone Arsenal every day.

Zoom in: After the last shutdown, Congress passed a law requiring back pay for furloughed federal workers, notes Mike Ward, senior vice president of government and public affairs at the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce.

• The picture is different for government contractors, who Ward notes make up about half of those working on the arsenal.
• Many larger contractors have long-term agreements with the government, so the shutdown may impact only their ability to access offices or facilities they need to do their work, he told Axios Huntsville.

Yes, but: Smaller contractors — those with fewer than 400 or so employees — of which Huntsville has many, are the most vulnerable, Ward said, as they may not get paid back for this lost time.

• And Huntsville may feel it in sales tax, he added, as folks put off those discretionary purchases while they're missing paychecks.

Context: At the arsenal, Garrison Commander Col. Erin Eike reported that all gates will run as normal through the end of the week, Redstone Rocket reported yesterday from a community update.

• Beyond that, hours will be adjusted depending on traffic, she said.

What they're saying: "In the past ... there have been ongoing negotiations and some other things that lead you to believe it isn't going to last for a very long time," Ward said.

• "This one feels like it's a little harder to get a handle on how it plays out."
• In a statement, Rep. Dale Strong, whose district includes Huntsville, said, "This shutdown could end today if Democrats would support the clean continuing resolution to fund the government."

Go deeper: The seven Democratic senators whose votes could be key to ending the government shutdown