Additional Funds Included For Safety Inspectors
AOPA, NBAA, and GAMA all reacted to
the Monday release of President Obama's budget proposal, saying
Obama's decision to drop aviation user fees from the FY2011 federal
budget would benefit the industry.
"When it comes to the long-standing battle over user fees, it
appears that today, we have reached an important and welcome
milestone," said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. (right) "The
fact that user fees are not part of the President's 2011 budget
proposal shows the tremendous progress we have made over the past
year."
Bolen noted that the Obama Administration's previous budget
proposal, which was introduced last February, contained an
important provision that read, "Starting in 2011, the Budget
proposes to replace some aviation excise taxes with direct user
charges." The President's new budget proposal does not contain
similar language.
"The proposal introduced by the White House today stands in
clear contrast to language we saw last year," Bolen continued. "Our
community, which has been so energized and mobilized by the user
fee threat, should be heartened by this news.
"Like the Administration, the general aviation community
supports full funding for the FAA and modernization of the nation's
aviation system," Bolen said. "But our industry has been united in
opposing calls for user fees, which require a large bureaucracy to
manage, and would impose a hidden administrative burden on the many
small and mid-size businesses that rely on an airplane to
succeed.
"Instead adopting foreign-style user fees, NBAA and its Members
have been very aggressive in promoting the wisdom of building upon
the stable, reliable and efficient fuel tax mechanism for general
aviation to help fund aviation system modernization," Bolen said.
He noted that with fuel taxes, users pay the tax at the pump, the
government easily collects the revenue, and the system serves as an
effective proxy for the cost airplanes impose on the system. "On
top of all that, the fuel tax is environmentally friendly, because
it encourages the development of cleaner, quieter and more
efficient engines," Bolen added.
"We commend the Administration for its focus on aviation
modernization, and we look forward to working with officials to
expedite the transformation to the Next Generation Air Traffic
Control System," Bolen said.
Despite the removal of user fees from the Administration's
FY2011 budget, Bolen said that ongoing vigilance and grassroots
mobilization by NBAA's Members would be needed to ensure that
Washington policymakers continue to understand the industry's
support for helping to fund aviation modernization through fuel
taxes.
"Whether or not this is an indication of a permanent policy
shift on user fees, or a one-time development remains to be
determined," Bolen said. "What we do know for certain is that our
industry must continue to make its voice heard on this and other
issues."
GAMA President Pete Bunce
(right) expressed similar sentiments. "We support the
Administration's common-sense decision not to propose user fees,"
said Bunce. "A burdensome user fee system faced widespread
opposition in Congress and universal opposition from general
aviation. GAMA stands ready to work with both the
Administration and Congress to pass an FAA reauthorization bill
that will help the agency move forward on air traffic control
modernization and other important national priorities."
GAMA commends Chairman Jerry Costello (D-IL) and Ranking Member Tom
Petri (R-WI) of the House Subcommittee on Aviation for sending a
letter opposing user fees to the Administration last fall, an
initiative that was endorsed by more than 100 members including
Chairman of the House Transportation Committee Jim Oberstar
(D-MN).
GAMA also praises the Administration for including an extension of
bonus depreciation for GA aircraft sales and an increase in funding
for additional FAA safety inspectors. Bonus depreciation is
an important tax incentive that has a proven track record of
helping manufacturers sell aircraft under tough economic
conditions. The additional funding for safety inspectors will
help the agency keep pace with certification requests and ensure
that new technologies and products which promote safety,
efficiency, and modernization are not delayed.
Bunce added, "It is significant that the Administration is on the
record supporting bonus depreciation. It is GA manufacturers'
top tax related request this year and we thank the president for
including it in his budget and also for recognizing that an
adequate safety inspector workforce will help get projects
certified and into the market during 2010."
AOPA President Craig Fuller (right) says he is
"gratified" that President Obama's 2011 budget proposal does not
include user fees for GA.
"For the past year, AOPA and the general aviation community have
made it clear that user fees are not the best way to fund the
nation's aviation system," Fuller said in a prepared statement
released Monday. "That message was repeated loud-and-clear by
aviation supporters in the House and Senate, including more than
100 members of Congress who declared that user fees would be a
'non-starter.' Today's budget proposal makes it evident that our
voices were heard. Someone in the Obama Administration decided to
hit "pause" when they came to the aviation user fee option."
"The decision not to include user fees in the 2011 budget is
encouraging, and it allows all of us in the aviation community to
focus on important priorities like air traffic control
modernization, keeping airports open, and growing the pilot
population. We are especially focused on any and all actions that
will encourage the return to growth in the general aviation
sector."
"While we are gratified that the Obama Administration has heeded
the concerns of the general aviation community, we remain vigilant
to ensure the user fee idea remains on hold," Fuller concluded. "We
will continue to promote an agenda that supports general aviation
today and into the future, while increasing our efforts show
opinion leaders and policy makers the value that general aviation
delivers to all Americans."