Alaskan Congressman Don Young joined his colleagues on the House General Aviation Caucus this week in sending a letter to Representative Jeb Hensarling and Senator Patty Murray, the co-chairs of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. The letter urges the Committee to not include aviation user fees in any fashion in their deficit reduction package. User fees on the aviation industry would have a detrimental impact on an industry that employs nearly 1.3 million workers and contributes more than $150 billion to the U.S. economy. Additionally, user fees would impair aviation safety by discouraging pilots from using services, and would create an inefficient, expensive bureaucratic system to collect fees.
“This is a bad idea not just for Alaska, but for the country,” said Rep. Young. “The President is wrong on this; his proposal to reduce the deficit through user fees would have severe consequences for so many Alaskans whose way of life depends on access to efficient, affordable aviation service. The ‘super committee’ should be examining the real drivers behind our deficit instead of singling out the general aviation community. Singling out the aviation community is the wrong thing to do and I will fight hard to ensure this proposal doesn’t see the light of day.”
To view the letter that Congressman Young signed, click here.
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