Legislation to eliminate sales tax on aircraft parts and labor is on the move in Wisconsin, where AOPA urged a committee of the state Assembly to act to keep their state’s aviation businesses and employment strong and growing.
AOPA Great Lakes Regional Manager Bryan Budds testified Nov. 21 before the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee to urge support for Assembly Bill 438, a measure to enact a sales tax exemption for labor and parts used to maintain aircraft in Wisconsin. Numerous other aviation and economic development organizations also testified in support of the measure.
The bill, introduced Oct. 17, was assigned to the committee the same day. Similar legislation is under consideration in the Wisconsin Senate. On Nov. 7, AOPA reported on the association’s multi-faceted strategy to win the tax exemption, and commended legislative leaders for putting the initiative on an “aggressive” track through the legislative process.
The hearing in the Assembly Ways and Means Committee on Assembly Bill 438 marked another important step toward passage, said Budds, who submitted a letter to the committee expressing AOPA’s strong support for the tax exemption. Budds also met individually with key legislative leaders during his trip to Madison.
"Passage of this legislation would lower the cost of aircraft maintenance, supporting local FBOs and aircraft maintenance facilities by retaining and increasing maintenance work in Wisconsin," said Mark Kimberling, AOPA director of state government affairs.
