Washington, DC - Recently the Alliance for Aviation Across America released a letter signed by over 100 mayors and town managers from 48 different states to President Obama. The letter highlights the critical importance of general aviation to the national and local economies, and raises concerns about proposed new tax burdens which would decimate small businesses and organizations around the country that depend on this important form of transportation. The letter comes just days after the release of the President's FY 2013 budget plan, which proposes a $100 per flight fee on certain segments of general aviation.
The letter also comes on the heels of letters from Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin and New Hampshire Governor John H. Lynch. In addition, 36 states across the country have passed proclamations recognizing the impact of aviation or general aviation to local communities around the nation.
"On behalf of thousands of small businesses, charitable groups, flights schools and communities around the country that depend on general aviation, we are deeply disappointed in the President's inclusion of ‘user fee' taxes in his FY 2013 budget proposal. For these businesses and communities, which represent the backbone of our economy, an added per-flight user fee tax would saddle these organizations with a huge, unnecessary tax burden at a time when they are already struggling to recover from the economic downturn."
"We urge Congress to reject user fees in any form and look forward to working with the President and Congress on these and other issues important to small businesses and rural communities that depend on general aviation across the country." To read the letter and more information see: Aviation Across America