Regional Affairs

Iowa governor reestablishes state's aviation fund

Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack has signed into law a bill reestablishing the state's aviation fund that had been abolished in 1999. AOPA President Phil Boyer had sent a letter urging the governor to sign the bill, and the association's regional affairs staff met with lawmakers to educate them about the importance of general aviation airports. "Aircraft registration fees and fuel taxes can be utilized more effectively and efficiently to directly support the airport infrastructure at the state's small, community general aviation airports," Boyer told the governor in a letter. "This would result in safer and better-managed airports and would ensure that fees and taxes collected from Iowa's pilots are used for aviation purposes." As AOPA previously reported, revenue collected through the annual aircraft registration fee, an avgas tax, and other means, will be deposited into the fund. The money from the registration fee will be phased in over two years, with 50 percent of fee collections going to the fund in fiscal year 2007, and all collections being deposited annually thereafter.

June 9, 2006