House Says No To User Fees, Yes to Fuel Tax Increase

It's difficult to believe, but it would appear that a rational
decision on user fees has been reached by the US House Of
Representatives:

User Fees Not the Answer, Says U.S. House

HOUSE COMMITTEE SAYS 'NO' TO USER FEES
(http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#196161)
The House Ways and Means Committee has passed, essentially intact,
a tax bill that supports the Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee's version of FAA reauthorization and does not include
user fees. In a unanimous voice vote Tuesday, the Ways and Means
Committee voted in favor of increasing the tax on avgas from 19.3
a gallon to 21.4 a gallon and the tax on jet fuel from 21.8 to
35.9 a gallon and the extra money will only be used for airspace
modernization. The committee also declined to adopt any of the
measures proposed by the airline lobby, which GA groups have been
saying would result in a tax break for the airlines. "We applaud
the Committee for rejecting user fees and instead building upon a
proven, stable, reliable and ultra-efficient system of fuel taxes
that clearly reflect aviation system use," said NBAA President Ed
Bolen.
http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#196161


Here's hoping the US Senate is able to see the wisdom in this bill.