AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011 - 4

PRESIDENT’SPOSITION

BY CRAIG FULLER
AOPA PRESIDENT

Washington finds a path forward

f the summertime debate over raising the debt ceiling and reducing the deficit just a few weeks ago seemed difficult, just wait for what lies ahead!

may be over how this revenue is raised. We recognize that the nation’s ongoing economic troubles mean just about everyone is going to have to pay a little more. We’ve long agreed to some increases in the excise tax we pay on the fuel we use as part of an FAA reauthorization measure. This approach to raising revenue requires no new bureaucracy, since we pay at the pump—as we have since fuel started flowing into powered aircraft. What we will seek to avoid in the weeks ahead The debt ceiling has been used before to prois a new user-fee bureaucracy of the kind that has duce what Washington calls an “action forcing been so damaging to GA in Europe. We also want AOPA President event.” With the need to pay our nation’s bills and to avoid being charged fees for operations—that Craig Fuller served as then-Vice not fall into a default position with our creditors, amounts to paying a penalty for using the air traffic President George the Congress passed, and President Barack Obama control system and it can have serious safety impliH.W. Bush’s chief signed, legislation that charts a path forward. The cations. Paying at the pump is far more desirable of staff from 1985 measure provides for about $1 trillion in spending and it has worked for decades. through 1989. reductions over the next 10 years, allowing ConIf we are going to succeed in avoiding user fees, gress to approve an increase in the debt ceiling. we are going to need the support of the entire GA While significant, this is not enough to provide a last- community. We are all bound together in important ways. ing solution. Furthermore, with the clock running and no Some in Congress or the Obama administration will suggest consensus around how to reach agreement on another tril- a fee on larger aircraft or, perhaps, jet aircraft. But such fees lion-plus-dollar package of spending and revenue proposals, Congress and the president agreed to a process where a special committee of legislators will come forward with proposals by Thanksgiving. This second step will trigger another necessary increase in the debt ceiling. The decision to use a special committee gives the nation a little breathing room to avoid default while seeking the path to consensus on an even larger deficit-reduction package. Although special committees have been utilized by Congress to reach other challenging decisions, I do not remember a committee with such a broad mission. What this panel puts on the table will eventually be voted on in an up-or-down vote. have an insidious way of expanding, which is why we must If the committee’s proposal is not approved, across-the-board push back. If you put a fee on one part of our GA fleet it will spending cuts will take effect. And, unlike the initial package spread to the rest—this has been the case in other countries. of a few weeks ago, the committee is expected to look at “revWe are going to need to remind our policy makers again that enue reform” measures designed to reduce the budget deficit General Aviation Serves America. We create jobs and sustain by adding more revenue. economic growth throughout the country. And, the growth Before Congress and the president reached this initial of our general aviation industry brings jobs in a number of agreement, we heard talk of user fees for general aviation. We related industries as well. asked you, our members, to tell your elected representatives We can be certain that the next round of negotiations will be that user fees on GA are the wrong way to raise revenues. at least as contentious as the last—and you can be assured that It is clear that our collective voices were heard at the end of general aviation will be among the many targets of revenueJuly. Members of Congress reported hearing from thousands of raising efforts. Back in July, some policy makers were already you. Even without a specific piece of legislation to target, our flagging tax breaks for aircraft used for business as a place strong opposition to user fees to fund the FAA found its mark. where new revenue might be found. Here’s the challenge: Without hearings and without the The bottom line is that we have a great story to tell about committees we work most closely with weighing in on various the contributions general aviation makes in this country. Tell revenue-raising measures, the threat of a user fee in the “path it we will, and tell it we must! forward” has grown. Indeed, there is the real probability that GA will pay more to support the FAA in the future. Our real fight Email AOPA President Craig Fuller at craig@aopa.org.

We will need to remind our policy

makers that GA serves America. We create jobs and sustain economic growth throughout the country.

AOPA PILOT •

4 • SEPTEMBER

2011

AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2011