Appeal to WA Pilots from AOPA

Dear Washington Pilot,

The Washington State Legislature continues to play around with increasing the taxes on your aircraft, and we need your help to make them stop!

Just last night, the State House of Representatives voted to amend Senate Bill 6143 to impose an annual excise tax that could represent an increase of 1,400% or more over previous aircraft registration fees. This new tax would equal five-tenths of one percent annually based on the aircraft’s value for all aircraft with a date of manufacture before December 31, 1970.  Aircraft manufactured before that date will be assessed an annual fee roughly twice the current fee.

The critical vote on this bill now moves back to the Senate, where the tax can still be removed from the bill.  It is vitally important that you let your state senator know you want the Aircraft Excise tax increase removed from the bill.  Some Legislators erroneously feel this bill will have little effect on the Washington general aviation community, and that all aircraft owners are wealthy.  Tell them the truth!  The session is scheduled to end on March 11, so it is critical that you act now!

Please email your State Senator at  Brown.Lisa@leg.wa.gov immediately and politely tell them to remove the Aircraft Excise Tax provision or to defeat Senate Bill 6143 entirely. 

• Replacing existing aircraft registration fees with an annual excise tax of 0.5% of the aircraft’s value will cause significant financial burden to you or your business in these tough economic times

• if would decrease in flight time or cease flying in Washington entirely as a result of this legislation.

• Increased taxation will force aviation-related businesses and services out of the State of Washington.

`Thank you!

- AOPA Government Affairs