"Our Industry Needs To Act," He Says

NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen is urging the members of the organization to 'pump up the volume' against aviation user fees as President Obama and members of Congress continue to negotiate on how to avoid defaulting on the government's debts.

Bolen has written an open letter to the members of NBAA, which was forwarded to ANN. It appears below in its entirety.

Dear Aviation Professional,

As I’ve recently told NBAA Members, user fees are back, and our industry needs to act. The situation has only become more pressing, and I need you to take renewed action; here’s why.

As the stalemate in the negotiations over the debt ceiling between the White House and congress continues, and the deadline for finding a resolution looms ever closer, policymakers have continued to explore a host of proposals for raising revenues, including user fees. Discussions have included proposals for per-flight fees ranging from $25 to $100 and beyond.

Clearly, we need to raise the volume on this issue with congress. NBAA has established a toll-free Legislative Action hotline you can use to call upon your representatives to oppose user fees in any debt-ceiling legislation. The number to use is 1-877-727-5074.

Once you dial the number, you'll receive confirmation that you have reached NBAA’s Legislative Action hotline. You’ll then be asked to enter your postal zip code, so that you can be matched with your Representative and two Senators. After that, some simple points you can make in your conversations with your legislators will be provided.

We need your help to stop user fees. We know they have greatly harmed general aviation in parts of the world where they are in place. We know they would create an enormous administrative burden for compliance with a new collection bureaucracy. We know that if they were implemented as part of the current debate in Washington, they would do nothing to strengthen our nation’s aviation system for the future.

NBAA Members have answered my previous alert over this issue by using the Association’s Contact Congress resource to flood lawmakers with messages opposing user fees. While we are thankful for such an impressive show of mobilization and support to date, it’s clear that now is not the time to rest on our laurels.

Like all Americans, the business aviation community understands that the nation's debt and deficit are serious issues that must be addressed. But, user fees for general aviation would be devastating to an industry that directly generates much-needed jobs and economic activity. I know we can count on you to call your members of congress today, and ensure that they understand this message.

Thank you for your continued support.

FMI: www.nbaa.org