Aero-News: Quote of the Day

ANN's Quote of the Day usually derives from current news, though we reserve the right to pick quotes out of history that have a bearing on the day's events and issues.

Sometimes, you'll find them timely and in keeping with the content of the day's news... and sometimes, they'll just be thought-provoking.

Reader suggestions and comments are welcome... and if particularly intriguing, timely, or poignant, may themselves become future Quotes of the Day.

Let us hear from you, folks!

Aero-News Quote of the Day

"If you own a plane and a summer home here, or have relatives here and you want to come and visit for month, you're not going do that. The state must want these people not to come here. And they won't, because they're afraid they're going to get nailed on a use tax on their airplane."

Source: Bill Perry, owner of several aviation-related businesses at Maine's Augusta State Airport. A 2005 revision to Maine's tax policy became effective January 1, that levies taxes on new aircraft owners if their planes spend more than 20 days a year on the ground there. Like a similar plan in Florida, it is intended to discourage residents of the state from purchasing planes in states with lesser sales tax, then flying them back home to Maine. The tax -- up to five percent of the aircraft's purchase price -- also applies to out-of-state owners who purchased aircraft within the past 12 months, and then flew those planes to Maine, even if they don't plan to stay there.

FMI: www.aopa.org, www.maine.gov/revenue/