National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen today issued the following statement in response to a signal of renewed support from the Obama White House for per-flight user fees for general aviation. A White House staff person sent the message defending the Administration's position on user fees in response to a petition calling on the president to reconsider his support for user fees.

The message was sent to all signatories to the petition. "The general aviation community has responded in a proactive and responsible way with regard to funding our nation's air transportation system. "But, with its response to the industry's unified and well-founded concerns over user fees for general aviation, the Obama Administration has made clear its intention to ignore the fact that fuel taxes are a proven, efficient, fair and environmentally friendly way to charge for the industry's use of the aviation system.

Instead, the White House intends to set aside the industry's concerns by pushing ahead with an administratively burdensome, bureaucracy-building, foreign-style user fee scheme that has very little to do with actual costs imposed on the system. "Unfortunately, it appears the White House will continue supporting its position on user fees by promoting the tired rhetoric that disparages general aviation, when it should instead be promoting the industry, and the jobs, exports and economic development it generates."