MAYDAY! , Alot of Warbird Flying could come to a END!
Tue Feb 06, 2007 7:46 am
GA's biggest threat makes landfall
User fees and tax hikes in president's budget
President George W. Bush
(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
For months, AOPA has felt the tension in the calm before a federal funding hurricane. But now with the release of the president's fiscal 2008 budget proposal on February 5, that storm has taken shape and is gathering energy: Tax increases and user fees for general aviation are now upon us.
"This is real, and it's just as bad as we thought it was going to be," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "That's why we've been aligning opposition in Congress. It's going to take an all-out fight by the aviation community to defeat this."
Boyer isn't wasting any time. He'll continue his extensive round of meetings with lawmakers and be on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. This dovetails AOPA's press conference with reporters last week.
President Bush released his $2.9 trillion spending plan in four massive volumes. The overarching philosophy is to increase military spending while squeezing the rest of the government. Unfortunately, the proposal would radically alter the funding mechanism for the world's largest, safest, and most successful air traffic control system. If that were not enough, the budget would slash airport funding by $1 billion. President's budget sets tone for upcoming battle...
(February 5)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clearing smoke, breaking mirrors
AOPA tells reporters what to watch out for on user fees
The Bush administration won't have a chance to obscure the issue of aviation user fees in the president's upcoming budget submission to Congress. That's because AOPA took a preemptive strike, briefing key reporters in the nation's capital about how to find the secrets in the budget when it is made public on February 5.
"The administration is manufacturing an FAA 'funding crisis' in a smoke-and-mirrors attempt to divert attention away from the real issue — the need to address the problems that constrain capacity, efficiency, and new technology adoption," said AOPA President Phil Boyer.
"They are attempting an end-around of Congress to put the world's safest, most efficient, and largest air traffic control system into the hands of airline barons who've flown their own businesses into bankruptcy," Boyer said at the National Press Club on February 1.
And taking Congress out of the mix would be a very bad idea, according to Ken Mead, the former Department of Transportation inspector general who joined Boyer at the podium.
"You need the checks and balances of the U.S. Congress," said Mead. He recalled that Congress had shut down the microwave landing system and the previous attempt at modernization — the advanced automation system (AAS) — when it had spun out of control and gone well over budget.
"I had to testify more times than I can recall on AAS," said Mead, "and it is a fact that it was stopped in its tracks by the checks and balances of Congress." No "funding crisis" — the money will be there...
Photo: AOPA President Phil Boyer.
EAA Opposes User-Fee Proposal/Fuel Tax Hike Included In DOT/FAA Budget Request
Tue, 06 Feb '07
What the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and other general aviation groups had been predicting for months became fact today, as user fees were a centerpiece of the Fiscal Year 2008 budget request from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration.
EAA immediately reiterated its strong opposition to any user fees, as the budget proposal includes the framework to establish a user-fee program for various aviation services; a nearly four-fold increase in the fuel tax paid by general aviation operators (avgas and autogas); and a series of fees for access to the nation's busiest airports. It would also transfer control of agency funding and oversight away from Congress and dramatically reduce public control of how the FAA exercises its discretionary spending.
"DOT and FAA have attempted to distract from the user fee issue in their public statements by saying that revenue from general aviation would continue to be collected via a fuel tax, but they failed to acknowledge that the fuel tax would be increased dramatically and a whole series of user fees would be implemented for FAA services that today do not carry a charge," said Doug Macnair, EAA Vice-President of Government Relations.
"EAA remains categorically opposed to user fees. Such a system will not enhance safety, it will not improve services, and it will add barriers for thousands of recreational aviators while being a costly burden to the federal government."
The budget proposal calls for increased and or the establishment of fees for aircraft certification and registration, as well as appointment and designation of designees such as those used to certificate amateur-built aircraft and light sport aircraft, and airman medical certificates.
While EAA has strong indications of what the Bush Administration is proposing, the details of the new user fee and tax hike proposals will become publicly available when the FAA reauthorization bill is submitted to Congress in mid-February. EAA and the other general aviation groups will continue to fight this effort to burden individual aircraft owners with this new expense.
"It is an ironic twist that while DOT Secretary (Mary) Peters said the budget proposal as a whole will 'help get our freedom back' in the nation's transportation infrastructure, it severely threatens the freedom of our country's general aviation community," Macnair said.
FMI: www.eaa.org
User fees and tax hikes in president's budget
President George W. Bush
(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
For months, AOPA has felt the tension in the calm before a federal funding hurricane. But now with the release of the president's fiscal 2008 budget proposal on February 5, that storm has taken shape and is gathering energy: Tax increases and user fees for general aviation are now upon us.
"This is real, and it's just as bad as we thought it was going to be," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "That's why we've been aligning opposition in Congress. It's going to take an all-out fight by the aviation community to defeat this."
Boyer isn't wasting any time. He'll continue his extensive round of meetings with lawmakers and be on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. This dovetails AOPA's press conference with reporters last week.
President Bush released his $2.9 trillion spending plan in four massive volumes. The overarching philosophy is to increase military spending while squeezing the rest of the government. Unfortunately, the proposal would radically alter the funding mechanism for the world's largest, safest, and most successful air traffic control system. If that were not enough, the budget would slash airport funding by $1 billion. President's budget sets tone for upcoming battle...
(February 5)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clearing smoke, breaking mirrors
AOPA tells reporters what to watch out for on user fees
The Bush administration won't have a chance to obscure the issue of aviation user fees in the president's upcoming budget submission to Congress. That's because AOPA took a preemptive strike, briefing key reporters in the nation's capital about how to find the secrets in the budget when it is made public on February 5.
"The administration is manufacturing an FAA 'funding crisis' in a smoke-and-mirrors attempt to divert attention away from the real issue — the need to address the problems that constrain capacity, efficiency, and new technology adoption," said AOPA President Phil Boyer.
"They are attempting an end-around of Congress to put the world's safest, most efficient, and largest air traffic control system into the hands of airline barons who've flown their own businesses into bankruptcy," Boyer said at the National Press Club on February 1.
And taking Congress out of the mix would be a very bad idea, according to Ken Mead, the former Department of Transportation inspector general who joined Boyer at the podium.
"You need the checks and balances of the U.S. Congress," said Mead. He recalled that Congress had shut down the microwave landing system and the previous attempt at modernization — the advanced automation system (AAS) — when it had spun out of control and gone well over budget.
"I had to testify more times than I can recall on AAS," said Mead, "and it is a fact that it was stopped in its tracks by the checks and balances of Congress." No "funding crisis" — the money will be there...
Photo: AOPA President Phil Boyer.
EAA Opposes User-Fee Proposal/Fuel Tax Hike Included In DOT/FAA Budget Request
Tue, 06 Feb '07
What the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and other general aviation groups had been predicting for months became fact today, as user fees were a centerpiece of the Fiscal Year 2008 budget request from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration.
EAA immediately reiterated its strong opposition to any user fees, as the budget proposal includes the framework to establish a user-fee program for various aviation services; a nearly four-fold increase in the fuel tax paid by general aviation operators (avgas and autogas); and a series of fees for access to the nation's busiest airports. It would also transfer control of agency funding and oversight away from Congress and dramatically reduce public control of how the FAA exercises its discretionary spending.
"DOT and FAA have attempted to distract from the user fee issue in their public statements by saying that revenue from general aviation would continue to be collected via a fuel tax, but they failed to acknowledge that the fuel tax would be increased dramatically and a whole series of user fees would be implemented for FAA services that today do not carry a charge," said Doug Macnair, EAA Vice-President of Government Relations.
"EAA remains categorically opposed to user fees. Such a system will not enhance safety, it will not improve services, and it will add barriers for thousands of recreational aviators while being a costly burden to the federal government."
The budget proposal calls for increased and or the establishment of fees for aircraft certification and registration, as well as appointment and designation of designees such as those used to certificate amateur-built aircraft and light sport aircraft, and airman medical certificates.
While EAA has strong indications of what the Bush Administration is proposing, the details of the new user fee and tax hike proposals will become publicly available when the FAA reauthorization bill is submitted to Congress in mid-February. EAA and the other general aviation groups will continue to fight this effort to burden individual aircraft owners with this new expense.
"It is an ironic twist that while DOT Secretary (Mary) Peters said the budget proposal as a whole will 'help get our freedom back' in the nation's transportation infrastructure, it severely threatens the freedom of our country's general aviation community," Macnair said.
FMI: www.eaa.org
I don't know what's wrong with you...
Tue Feb 06, 2007 8:25 am
...but it is obvious that we need the pay to play plan, because if we don't, things like the cost-effective and protective ADIZ will go away, along with other things like free Weather services etc.
Sorry, I can't continue with a straight face. So where do they come off pulling funding from FAA, when they BROADLY subsidize EVERY single road to nowhere, can't implement changes without contracting out everything, and can't TRANSPARENTLY explain their funding shortfall with the FAA (read, funky programs like TSA screeners, etc).
The worst part of this is that we are screwed from the get go to. With the lack of real political pull by pilots and pilot associations, they are going to paint all aircraft owners and pilots as RICH, and sucking off the teat of government in this "time of great trouble."
The real problem is they are producing this budget as a response to the politics of the war, and we are going to have them offering sentient plans of trade-offs: you vote for the war, and I won't add user fees. This is US Politics at its worst.
Note to self: start revolution tomorrow...
Sorry, I can't continue with a straight face. So where do they come off pulling funding from FAA, when they BROADLY subsidize EVERY single road to nowhere, can't implement changes without contracting out everything, and can't TRANSPARENTLY explain their funding shortfall with the FAA (read, funky programs like TSA screeners, etc).
The worst part of this is that we are screwed from the get go to. With the lack of real political pull by pilots and pilot associations, they are going to paint all aircraft owners and pilots as RICH, and sucking off the teat of government in this "time of great trouble."
The real problem is they are producing this budget as a response to the politics of the war, and we are going to have them offering sentient plans of trade-offs: you vote for the war, and I won't add user fees. This is US Politics at its worst.
Note to self: start revolution tomorrow...
Tue Feb 06, 2007 8:53 am
With the Democrats controlling Congress, I seriously doubt anything President Bush proposes will pass.
Tue Feb 06, 2007 8:56 am
This seems to be the general trend in more areas than just aviation... and I despise it.
The funny thing is that when coporate CEO's mismanage money and (well, let's call it what it is - stealing) Steal from other people, everyone gets upset and the government comes in and destroys their life. But when politicians redistribute your wealth by raising the amount of money you have to pay someone to do work for you, divert funds that were intended for public roads, then claim that they don't have any money and will have to toll you to use the roads, make you pay user fees for GA, etc... They can get away with almost anything. Maybe even tyranny. It sure seems like it's time to do something about it.
Ryan
The funny thing is that when coporate CEO's mismanage money and (well, let's call it what it is - stealing) Steal from other people, everyone gets upset and the government comes in and destroys their life. But when politicians redistribute your wealth by raising the amount of money you have to pay someone to do work for you, divert funds that were intended for public roads, then claim that they don't have any money and will have to toll you to use the roads, make you pay user fees for GA, etc... They can get away with almost anything. Maybe even tyranny. It sure seems like it's time to do something about it.
Ryan
Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:17 am
With the Democrats controlling Congress, I seriously doubt anything President Bush proposes will pass.
If we talking about a Tax INCREASE...all bets are off. This my be the one area that the Dems and the Pres agree. W. pulled this kind of tax scheme before...Texas 1990's....
Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:27 am
"President Bush released his $2.9 trillion spending plan in four massive volumes."
Warbirds are great - we all agree on that. But friends, that's the least of our worries. Look at the above statement I clipped from the first post above. It's only pocket change compared to the tab my grandkids and yours will be asked to pick up. Wait until the Secular-Progressives, aided by the lapdog media and a passive "American Idol" general public, entrench themselves so deep into our way of life that there's no coming up for air - ever.
There still may be time, however. As I have done, get your kids into private schools. That's our only hope ... a proper education for our young people. The continued warbird flying will follow ...
Wade
Warbirds are great - we all agree on that. But friends, that's the least of our worries. Look at the above statement I clipped from the first post above. It's only pocket change compared to the tab my grandkids and yours will be asked to pick up. Wait until the Secular-Progressives, aided by the lapdog media and a passive "American Idol" general public, entrench themselves so deep into our way of life that there's no coming up for air - ever.
There still may be time, however. As I have done, get your kids into private schools. That's our only hope ... a proper education for our young people. The continued warbird flying will follow ...
Wade
Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:14 am
Well let's face facts...somebody has to pay for that mis-guided adventure in Iraq. So far the vast majority of it has been put on the "national credit card" so you, me, our kids, and our grandkids all get to look forward to paying this off for decades to come. The latest budget of $245 billion to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan comes out to $800 for each man, woman, and child in the United States. I don't know about you but I don't have that kind of money burning a hole in my pocket at this very moment.
It was on the news that approximately 141 federal programs will be seriuosly cut or eliminated under the current budget. One of the federal job retraining programs I work with has received huge cuts over the last several years and I wouldn't be at all surprised if I was looking for new employment a year from now. Let's just hope congress can kill most of the insanity in this budget.
It was on the news that approximately 141 federal programs will be seriuosly cut or eliminated under the current budget. One of the federal job retraining programs I work with has received huge cuts over the last several years and I wouldn't be at all surprised if I was looking for new employment a year from now. Let's just hope congress can kill most of the insanity in this budget.
Last edited by Former Member on Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:44 am, edited 2 times in total.
Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:17 am
Maybe this is because I am not a US citizen but why would Bush want to "increase military spending while squeezing the rest of the government" ?
To get more money for him and his family? To start another war?
The only reason why I would ever go to the US is to learn how to fly or see warbirds fly. I guess that dream will be harder and harder to realise in the future.
To get more money for him and his family? To start another war?
The only reason why I would ever go to the US is to learn how to fly or see warbirds fly. I guess that dream will be harder and harder to realise in the future.
Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:27 pm
mennie wrote:The only reason why I would ever go to the US is to learn how to fly or see warbirds fly. I guess that dream will be harder and harder to realise in the future.
You just made our point for us. If we have the same user fee/flight restrictions here that you have there, there won't be anybody learning to fly - or any warbirds to be seen flying - here in the States, either.
Just my 2¢
Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:13 pm
mennie wrote:Maybe this is because I am not a US citizen but why would Bush want to "increase military spending while squeezing the rest of the government" ?
To get more money for him and his family? To start another war?
The only reason why I would ever go to the US is to learn how to fly or see warbirds fly. I guess that dream will be harder and harder to realise in the future.
Do you really think Bush is planning to go into other wars and take actions for his own profit??? Come on now! I would invite you to come to this nation for more than the flying, there is a reason we are a super power with people flooding over our borders... We must be doing something right...
Taylor
God Bless America
Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:23 pm
me109me109 wrote:We must be doing something right...
Taylor
God Bless America
I think that would be more correct if put in past tense... We are living in the legacy of the freedoms bought for us by our forefathers, who would be turning over in their graves right now if they could see what's being done in DC. Jefforson, Madison, Henry, Washington, Adams, all spoke against the very kinds of things that are going on in our country today.
Ryan
Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:23 pm
Thank God I'm an illegal alien, and taking advantage of all of you. No "user fees" for me.
Hillary stated she wanted to "take the profits" of the oil companies and "give" them to the gov't where they could do the most good. BTW the gov't gets more per gallon in tax than the oil companies make, who is gouging whom?
"From each according to his means.. to each according to his needs."
Karl Marx, or the 2006 Congress.. you make the call.
I'm thinking about starting my own country, anyone interested?
I have a powder horn used on combat by my great great.. grandfather in the Revolution, do you think this is what he fought for?
Hillary stated she wanted to "take the profits" of the oil companies and "give" them to the gov't where they could do the most good. BTW the gov't gets more per gallon in tax than the oil companies make, who is gouging whom?
"From each according to his means.. to each according to his needs."
Karl Marx, or the 2006 Congress.. you make the call.
I'm thinking about starting my own country, anyone interested?
I have a powder horn used on combat by my great great.. grandfather in the Revolution, do you think this is what he fought for?
Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:29 pm
oscardeuce wrote:Hillary stated she wanted to "take the profits" of the oil companies and "give" them to the gov't where they could do the most good. BTW the gov't gets more per gallon in tax than the oil companies make, who is gouging whom?
"From each according to his means.. to each according to his needs."
Karl Marx, or the 2006 Congress.. you make the call.
The new minimum wage proposals are the same thing. With the money I've got in the bank, I could hire someone now for over half a year, but in a year or so, it'll only pay for less than half a year...
Ryan
Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:37 pm
me109me109 wrote: with people flooding over our borders... We must be doing something right...
Let's keep in mind that some of these people "flooding over our borders" are doing so because we make it easy for them to live here.........and to work here, and to get medical care here, and to get educations here.......I'm not saying that they have great lives and that things are easy for them, but they're getting a heck of a lot of benefits that those who were or are born here didn't get or aren't getting.......
Just an opinion........and we all know that opinions are like a**holes, everyone's got one.......
Tue Feb 06, 2007 2:57 pm
Between Forgotten Field starting a revolution and ocsarduece starting his own country I think we'll be okay. 
There is still hope . . .
On a more serious note, its a sad thing for the aviation community to be facing this political nonsense, but scarier yet to see things going so awry. It's been mentioned that, think of what our children or grandchildren will face, but frankly, even I worry about what things are going to be like for me in the future. Maybe that seems selfish, but that downward spiral is a tough thing to recover from.
There is still hope . . .
On a more serious note, its a sad thing for the aviation community to be facing this political nonsense, but scarier yet to see things going so awry. It's been mentioned that, think of what our children or grandchildren will face, but frankly, even I worry about what things are going to be like for me in the future. Maybe that seems selfish, but that downward spiral is a tough thing to recover from.