Check out the following statement from Alliance Partner Bartlett Cleland, Institute for Policy Innovation, urging the President and Congress to stay clear of additional tax burdens on general aviation as they debate deficit reduction measures:
Now that the “Super Committee” has missed their deadline and Congress and the President continue to wrangle over the economy, hopefully they can avoid senseless new taxes on businesses, which only hamper their efforts to compete globally.
One example of such nonsense has been the call by the President and some in Congress for new taxes on businesses that use small planes. According to recent statistics from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, international orders for general aviation aircraft have risen in recent years, and yet have gone down in the U.S., in part due to the threat of increased taxes and the repeated vilification of plane owners and operators by the President. While this may score political points for politicians it further hampers U.S. businesses which compete with foreign companies, and if successful create jobs here at home.
The truth is that 85% of businesses that rely on general aviation are small to mid-sized businesses that use it to increase efficiency and productivity, and reach far-off customers and plants. Not only that, the US-based general aviation industry that supports them sustains 1.2 million jobs and over $150 billion in economic impact.
U.S. politicians erecting barriers to our businesses which favor their global competitors and vilifying a crucial segment of our transportation sector will not get our economy back on track. It’s time for our lawmakers to get real about job creation and support crucial manufacturing industries which serve as the backbone of our economy.
Bartlett D. Cleland
Policy Counsel
Institute for Policy Innovation
Dallas, TX