User Fees Debate not Over Yet

[cancidas]

WHITE HOUSE 'DOESN'T GET IT' ON FAA BUDGET
"What part of 'NO!' doesn't the White House understand?" asked AOPA President Phil Boyer after reviewing the administration's proposed FAA budget for fiscal year 2009. "They just changed the dates and submitted essentially the same proposal as last year?a proposal soundly rejected by the general aviation community, the House, and the Senate. Once again, the Bush administration wants huge new taxes and user fees imposed on general aviation, and it wants to slash and burn the Airport Improvement Program (AIP)." The administration on Feb. 4 submitted its federal budget proposals for fiscal year 2009 (Oct. 1, 2008, to Sep. 30, 2009) to Congress. The Bush FAA budget would cut nearly $1 billion from what Congress had approved for AIP?a 22-percent reduction.

http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2008/080204budget.html


but opening up more airspace works right.... seriousl, c'mon! mr. bush really needs to surround himself by some smarter people.

[flyboy 28]

I just got a letter in the mail yesterday from AOPA outlining this. I promptly sent in a check for $100. Every bit helps.

[nwafan20]

This whole FAA Funding thing is ridiculous! Cut EAS and take that money to fund the FAA!

GA should not be footing the bill for the airlines, not at all!

[cancidas]

This whole FAA Funding thing is ridiculous! Cut EAS and take that money to fund the FAA!

GA should not be footing the bill for the airlines, not at all!


thats an interesting idea. never thought about it that way. i wonder how many of those EAS flights actually fly and make a profit. i've got a few on my end, on bad wx nights we get stuck sitting late because the EAS flights HAVE to run. it makes no sense to keep the flight, and in our case here in NYC, the slot open for a flight that isn't making a profit for anyone.

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

thats an interesting idea. never thought about it that way. i wonder how many of those EAS flights actually fly and make a profit.

The whole point of the EAS is to fund markets that would not make a profit. If the airlines posted a profit in these markets, then EAS funding would not be necessary.


but opening up more airspace works right.... seriousl, c'mon! mr. bush really needs to surround himself by some smarter people.
Or he needs to shape up himself!

[nwafan20]

thats an interesting idea. never thought about it that way. i wonder how many of those EAS flights actually fly and make a profit.

The whole point of the EAS is to fund markets that would not make a profit. If the airlines posted a profit in these markets, then EAS funding would not be necessary.


But why should we foot the bill for cities that cannot support service??? If a city wants service, make the CITY pay for it themselves! Why should GA have to pay user fees up the @$$ while the airlines are getting money thrown at them like a cheap stripper at a club?

GA does more for communities than people realize....

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

thats an interesting idea. never thought about it that way. i wonder how many of those EAS flights actually fly and make a profit.


The whole point of the EAS is to fund markets that would not make a profit. If the airlines posted a profit in these markets, then EAS funding would not be necessary.



But why should we foot the bill for cities that cannot support service??? If a city wants service, make the CITY pay for it themselves! Why should GA have to pay user fees up the @$$ while the airlines are getting money thrown at them like a cheap stripper at a club?

GA does more for communities than people realize....



I am just speaking from the Government's point of view.
If the market is turning a profit for the airline, then the GOVERNMENT would not deem it necessary to continue funding for this market.

[cancidas]

thats an interesting idea. never thought about it that way. i wonder how many of those EAS flights actually fly and make a profit.

The whole point of the EAS is to fund markets that would not make a profit. If the airlines posted a profit in these markets, then EAS funding would not be necessary.


But why should we foot the bill for cities that cannot support service??? If a city wants service, make the CITY pay for it themselves! Why should GA have to pay user fees up the @$$ while the airlines are getting money thrown at them like a cheap stripper at a club?

GA does more for communities than people realize....


A-MEN!

[nwafan20]

I am just speaking from the Government's point of view.
If the market is turning a profit for the airline, then the GOVERNMENT would not deem it necessary to continue funding for this market.

But you are completely ignoring the root EAS/User fees argument I brought up. Why should the government pay for this service at all? I have not heard a valid argument about it. Instead of throwing the millions they are towards this program, send that money to upgrade the air infrastructure with new technology, and pay for the FAA funding. If a city wants service that bad, make the city pay for it. It makes sense. The federal government is not benefiting at all from EAS cities, rather the individual cities are. Why shouldn't those cities pay for it instead? The money could be better used to end this whole funding debate.

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

Actually, I was answering a question for cancidas, not making an argument.

[nwafan20]

Actually, I was answering a question for cancidas, not making an argument.

You responded to my post, not Cancidias'. He didn't ask a question.

[Tom_Turner]

I don't necessarily agree that GA gets put on the hook to fund EAS, but I don't think the Feds subsidizing a modicum of air service to smaller cities is entirely unreasonable.

Tom

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

It was not a question, but I was giving an explanation to cancidas' thought in bold.


This whole FAA Funding thing is ridiculous! Cut EAS and take that money to fund the FAA!

GA should not be footing the bill for the airlines, not at all!


thats an interesting idea. never thought about it that way. i wonder how many of those EAS flights actually fly and make a profit. i've got a few on my end, on bad wx nights we get stuck sitting late because the EAS flights HAVE to run. it makes no sense to keep the flight, and in our case here in NYC, the slot open for a flight that isn't making a profit for anyone.

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

I don't necessarily agree that GA gets put on the hook to fund EAS, but I don't think the Feds subsidizing a modicum of air service to smaller cities is entirely unreasonable.

Tom

Seems like you and I share an opinion Tom.