Bush Budget

by " Feb 9, 2006 at 12:59 PM


The point: Direct tax subsidies (the AIP capital grants or the $150K
operating subsidy) go to GA airports, because the airports revenues
don't
cover expenses.

Wrong.

AIP grant money does not go into an airport's operating budget to cover
any shortfalls - it is earmarked for infrastructure improvements like
runways, taxiways, ramps or purchasing new equipment like plow trucks,
snowblowers etc.

King: I know that. That's why I refered to AIP CAPITAL (as opposed to
OPERATING) grants.

King: I know that. That's why I refered to AIP CAPITAL (as opposed to OPERATING) grants.

Aha. The way you worded it, capital grants & subsidies got lumped
together for GA airports whose revenues don't cover expenses.

The airport I used to work at in CT has lost money ever since the
airlines left in '99 (maybe even before). They still get AIP money (got
a brandy-new snowblower last year) but the city that owns the airport
makes up the diff in their annual budget. If the airport ever made a
profit it would owe taxes to the town in which the airport sits.

When federal tax revenues go to bolster ski area operations and build lifts...

Doubtful, seeing as they aren't part of a national transportation
infrastructure. But, the way global warming seems to be progressing ski
area ops days may be numbered. gasp!

Scooped the AOPA by a few days!