AOPA asks for member help to keep tax exemption

AOPA asks for member help to keep tax exemption

By AOPA ePublishing staff

In the past six years, less tax has meant more money—more revenue for the state and more in the pockets of anyone who owns or flies an aircraft. But now the governor of Massachusetts wants to change that, and AOPA is asking members for help.

In 2002, Massachusetts made aircraft and aircraft parts exempt from the state’s 5-percent sales and use tax. Since then, a state-sponsored study has shown that the state’s aviation revenues have increased significantly, the number of based aircraft is up by 40 percent, and the numbers of business-owned and multiengine aircraft have doubled. But Gov. Deval Patrick has proposed repealing the exemption in his current budget plan, and the repeal is now being considered by the Massachusetts House of Representatives and may be voted on by the end of the week.

Without the exemption, aircraft, maintenance, and flight instruction all would become more expensive, and some aviation service providers could be forced out of business or out of the state. AOPA is asking members to contact their state representatives and urge them to preserve the aviation sales tax exemption.

April 10, 2008