C.L. “BUTCH” OTTER
GOVERNOR
March 26, 2012
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
I write to ask for your support in recognizing the vital importance of general aviation. It has a fundamental role in our nation’s economy – especially to the economy or rural and lightly populated states like Idaho. General aviation supports more than 1 million jobs nationwide, and it needs your help now.
As one of the few manufacturing sectors that contribute to the balance of trade, general aviation has been hit hard by the economic downturnwith the loss of more than 20,000 aviation-sector employees.
For all states, including Idaho, general aviation represents a critical connection to economic opportunity and global markets. What’s more, general aviation plays a crucial public role every day through crop protection, disaster response, law enforcement, or critically needed services such as blood, organ or patient transportation.
The bottom line is that raising taxes on critical sectors of our economy will do us more harm than good by putting more jobs at risk. I encourage you to join me in opposing the new “user fee” taxes that will be placed on general aviation aircraft operators.
Thank you for keeping our concerns and the concerns of our citizens and businesses in mind, and for your positive consideration of this issue.
As Always – Idaho, “Esto Perpetua”
C.L. “Butch” Otter
Governor of Idaho