Aug. 7, 2015
Before Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee signed the Transportation Appropriations Bill, only 10 percent of aircraft excise taxes were deposited in the state’s aeronautics account that funds its airport aid grant program. With a broad spectrum of support – from a coalition of aviation stakeholders, including NBAA – state Sen. Steve Hobbs and state Rep. Tom Dent championed legislative language that reallocated 100 percent of aircraft excise tax revenue to aviation without raising the tax itself.
“NBAA applauds everyone who supported this effort to reinvest all of the revenue generated by aviation taxes into Washington’s airports,” said Kristi Ivey, NBAA’s Northwest regional representative.
Understanding that Washington’s small airports connect the state’s communities, Hobbs said the bill will deposit all aircraft tax revenue to “ensure that small airports have access to funding that will allow them to keep their passengers safe and their facilities up to date.” Dent said the reallocation was not only a personal priority, “it means a lot to the aviation community.”
The Washington State Aviation Alliance led the effort to support this bill by informing its members of the proposed legislation, said Ivey. NBAA worked closely with the Pacific Northwest Business Association to spread the word within the region’s business aviation community.
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.