Virginia county slashes aircraft property tax rate
A Virginia county has cut the property tax rate it imposes on aircraft, acting on a recommendation urged by the executive director of the area’s regional airport.
Winchester Regional Airport is managed by an airport authority that was established in 1987 and is made up of the city of Winchester and the counties of Frederick, Clarke, Shenandoah, and Warren. On April 10, the Frederick County Board of Supervisors adopted a tax-rate package that included a property-tax rate of $0.01 per $100 of assessed value for aircraft. The previous rate was $0.50 per $100.
Speaking at the session, Sabo described how community airports benefit from state and federal grants that multiply the impact of local funding, noting that for every dollar contributed at the local level by member jurisdictions, the airport receives $49 worth of value.
“This illustrates the incredible return on investment of capital contributions,” he said.
Those investments maintain and improve airport infrastructure. But Sabo and Williams both noted at the informational gathering that a previous increase of the annual personal property tax levied on aircraft based at the airport could put the airport at a competitive disadvantage with other nearby airports as all vied to draw new individual or business users or tenants to their fields.
With the rate now reduced by the county supervisors, Sabo said he believed the officials “made the best decision for the county and the airport,” and he expressed appreciation for AOPA’s support of his recommendation.
Williams expressed satisfaction that the reduced property tax rate applies to all aircraft, “regardless of size, type, or use.”
“AOPA appreciates this course correction by the board of supervisors, and we thank the airport authority for their effort to keep the airport friendly to aircraft owners,” he said.
