Says Legislation To Move Division Makes Sense
The South Carolina
Aviation Association said it supports the state's general assembly
bill SB 822, which will benefit general aviation by moving the
Division of Aeronautics from the Department of Commerce to the
Department of Transportation as in most other states. The bill also
would allow taxes from jet fuel to be deposited in the state's
Aviation Trust Fund and not in the General Fund. Currently only
taxes from Avgas go to the Aviation Trust Fund, which is the source
of funds for general aviation airport improvements.
Rep. Bob Walker (R-Landrum) and Sen. Phil Leventis (D-Sumter)
filed the legislation to move the SC Aeronautics Division,
currently a part of the Commerce Department, under the Department
of Transportation. The House bill (HB 4537) was filed with 123 of
the 124 House members as sponsors, so it is virtually assured of
passage there. The Division of Aeronautics, along with the federal
government and the local airport sponsor, share the responsibility
for funding the maintenance and capital improvements at
publicly-owned airports in the Palmetto State.
The SCAA, working with other stakeholders, claims it has made
significant progress in adding to the funding for Aeronautics. A
1997 Department of Revenue administrative interpretation, pressed
for by the SCAA, has resulted in the dedication of taxes collected
on aviation gasoline to the state’s Aviation Trust Fund. This
fuel tax, although providing some $650,000 in funding for airport
projects annually, is only imposed on avgas due to the current
language of state statute. Acording tio SCAA, Legislators Walker
and Leventis’ bill would correct this inequity and ensure
that all jet fuel taxes paid by general aviation aircraft are paid
into the Aviation Trust Fund.
Other aviatin organizations are supporting the state's proposed
action, as NBAA is backing South Carolina's effort to realign
responsibility for aviation issues within the state and urges
Members operating in South Carolina to contact their state senators
and indicate their support for SB 822.
Review the bill text at
www.scstatehouse.net/sess115_2003-2004/bills/822.htm
Although the SCAA and
AOPA also championed 2000 legislation providing $500,000 annually
toward airport capital projects, SCAA believes that the inability
to obtain money for new capital improvements will remain the status
quo so long as the agency is part of the Department of Commerce.
Over past years, the group claims state funds for airport capital
improvements and maintenance have declined from an average of
$725,250 in 1991-95 to less than $500,000 in 2000. This loss of
revenue means that all airports, especially those more rural
airports whose sponsors are generally smaller municipalities, must
delay much-needed improvements. SCAA urges its members to contact
their State Senator in support of Sen. Leventis’ Senate
counterpart, SB 822, to the House bill.
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