News
NBAA joins groups opposing new taxes, user fees

Sept. 22, 2011, Washington, DC, – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) has joined with 26 leading aviation and labor associations representing virtually the entire U.S. aviation industry to strongly oppose new or increased taxes and fees on aviation as part of the White House proposal to address the nation's deficit and jobs crisis.

The 26 organizations have signed a joint letter that was sent to the leadership in the House and Senate, as well as the 12 federal legislators on the new "Super Committee" charged with finding deficit reduction solutions. The letter urges lawmakers to reject adding fees and taxes onto an industry that represents more than 5.6 percent of the nation's GDP and supports 11 million jobs.

"Earlier this week, NBAA joined with eight leading general aviation associations in a statement calling the user fee proposal in the president's plan ill-conceived and counterproductive," said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. "Today we are pleased to join with dozens of other major aviation groups in a strong showing of united opposition to more fees. Of particular importance to NBAA Members, the $100 per-flight user fee in the president's plan would create an onerous new administrative burden and necessitate the creation of a costly new fee-collection bureaucracy.

"We will continue to urge the President to stop singling out general aviation for punitive treatment, given that our industry is a major driver of economic growth and job creation in America," Bolen added.