Just Bought A Plane? STAY OUT OF FLORIDA !

On Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:28:45 -0500, Jim Logajan wrote:

http://www.fata.aero/news.asp?news_id=88&display=yes

So basically he wasn't charged any sales or use tax. That is not what the
A.N.N. story claimed. The Cirrus owner simply assumed that the advice he
heard over the phone was valid and canceled his plans.

I received this from Sun n' fun which seemingly contradicts the report
by the Cirrus owner (link above).

March 21, 2008

Sun ¡¦n Fun has recently been made aware of media reports of a ¡§Florida
Tax Ripoff¡¨ and the impact this may have on the Sun ¡¦n Fun Fly-In, which
opens Tuesday, April 8, and runs through Sunday, April 13.

The reports erroneously describe ¡§non (Florida)-resident pilots who have
been caught in the FL tax trap¡¨ and who have been ¡§targeted for ¡¥use
tax¡¦ by agents of the state¡¦s Department of Revenue . . . despite the
fact that the targeted aircraft were not owned or operated by state
residents.¡¨

This is inaccurate and misleading. Sun ¡¦n Fun contacted the Florida
Department of Revenue and received a definition of the regulation in
question. Language within the Florida Tax Code quoted in the media
reports clearly indicates this tax affects ONLY those owners who have:

Purchased their airplane in another state (outside of Florida) within
the past six months but who have the aircraft titled, registered or
licensed in Florida and have not paid Florida tax on that airplane.

This DOES NOT impact Sun ¡¦n Fun Exhibitors who bring aircraft to
Lakeland.

It DOES NOT impact aircraft owners whose airplane is more than six
months old, which comprises a vast majority of aircraft being flown to
Sun ¡¦n Fun.
It DOES NOT impact aircraft owners who have owned their airplane more
than six months and have it titled, registered or licensed in another
state.
It DOES NOT impact aircraft owners who have purchased an airplane within
the past six months and have it titled, registered or licensed in
another state (other than Florida).
And it DOES NOT impact aircraft owners who have purchased their
airplanes within the past six months in Florida and have paid the
appropriate tax.
The bottom line is that the Florida Tax Code in question has the
capacity to impact a minute number ¡V if any ¡V of the aircraft flying to
Lakeland for Sun ¡¦n Fun. More importantly, the Florida Department of
Revenue has assured Sun ¡¥n Fun that there will not be any agents
assigned to the Fly-In event conducting ¡§ramp checks¡¨ and that
out-of-state aircraft flying to Florida for Sun 'n Fun are not subject
to the "sales/use" tax as long as the aircraft owner is not trying to
avoid taxes owed because he/she is a Florida resident or operates a
business in Florida and uses the aircraft for that purpose.

We look forward to seeing you at Sun ¡¦n Fun!

John Burton
President
Sun ¡¥n Fun