Spending airport money properly

Aviators want money returned that they believe was hijacked last May.

Included in last session’s plan to resolve the state’s biennial budget deficit was a $15 million transfer from an airport development and assistance fund to the state’s General Fund. It was a last-minute insertion after being in neither the House or Senate budget-balancing proposal.

Sponsored by Rep. Bernie Lieder (DFL-Crookston), HF73 would return the money to the State Airports Fund. It was approved Jan. 20 by the House Transportation Finance and Policy Division and sent to the House Finance Committee.

“This is a trust issue,” said Rep. Dan Severson (R-Sauk Rapids).

The bill would also repeal a portion of the 2008 law that reduced the base appropriation for airport development from $20.3 million to $14.3 million. The fund helps pay for improvements at airports outside the governance of the Metropolitan Airports Commission.

Three taxes comprise the fund dollars: an aircraft fuel tax, aircraft registration tax and an airline flight property tax.

Payers of those taxes want assurance the money gets used for its intended purpose. Supporters note that 41 projects scheduled for this year — from reflective centerline striping to maintaining navigation aids — are now in a holding pattern.

“What is hard to explain to our management is the fact that it cost $300 to register a 1995 Citation VII in Boise, Idaho, and $51,000 for the same aircraft in Minnesota,” said Jon Krall, aviation director at Supervalu Inc. and a board member of the Minnesota Business Aviation Association. “I explain that the money does go directly into the State Airports Fund to maintain the great system of airports in Minnesota. Well, I used to be able to say that.”

In the 2003 budget crisis, $15 million was also taken from the fund, and it had yet to be fully replenished. More projects have been delayed since then.

“Is it too much to ask that the $185,000-plus collected from our company goes to support the Minnesota airport system? I don’t think so,” Krall said.

A companion bill, SF15, sponsored by Sen. Ann Rest (DFL-New Hope), awaits action by the Senate Finance Committee.