Personal Property Taxes: Airplanes vs Motorcycles

by Jim Bronder

The arrogance of our legislators and the elitist they serve once again raises its ugly head. The cover up for the reasoning of lowering the airplane personal property tax to 4% is as ludicrous as the hermaphrodite in the side show of an old carnival. To say they can register them in another state cheaper is true, but you try that with your motor vehicle in South Carolina, and drive around with an out of state license and they will get you. So instead of giving the rich a tax break on their flying machines, all they had to do is pass a law that they be treated the same as other vehicles. I would love to register my vehicles in many of the states with no personal property tax, but it is illegal. If you live here, park it here, you pay for it here.

I spoke to one of these dashing aviators and of course he defended it. He said for example in Rock Hill there are 84 planes in hangers and 82 of them are registered in North Carolina. Think of the money the state is losing. To me that is just more ammunition, if you park them here, you pay for them here. This act of rape even gets worse. I would imagine that our grant money given to these airport authorities provide the facilities these freeloaders are using? He did add that their planes were always available to the governor. I guess I will have to pay 10 1/2% to keep the governor off my bike?

I think this can be a media coup for us. It is equal to the infamous old "let them eat cake" remark, and you know what that did. I am going to throw it in their face in every letter I write. Think of it, all the posturing on tax relief because people are loosing their homes. What do they do, they lower taxes on airplanes. What will be next,zeppelins, gliders or perhaps autogiros?

Here is what I believe we have to do, launch a major attack at the point where our bill is being held captive and to the only person who can set it free. That is the senate finance committee and Senator Leatherman who is chairman of that committee. Follow up by using the written word to assault the members of the committee. I am not talking about being diplomatic at this point. June is around the corner, we are at the point of live or die and our communications should reflect that position. You try to to work within the system and what happens, the fat cats steal your lunch. When those good old boys step out of their Lincoln town cars, in their private parking places, and ask their secretaries who called to take them to lunch or what golf date they have at Hilton Head for the week end, you are not on their mind. I don't play golf, and I damn sure don't want to eat with them, but I will find a way to be on their mind.

I have tried to enlist everyone in this fight. Harley dealers will not join, H.O.G. will not because they are not political. They prefer to use the Jewish strategy of Hitler's Germany. GWRA was notified but have not, to my knowledge, joined the battle. SCADA (auto dealers assoc.), will not join even though their pick up trucks are part of the bill. When I ask the salesmen what they tell the customers about the tax, they say they don"to know because they don' to live in South Carolina I spoke with the truck lobbyist, he would not get involved because it turned out to be the big rigs took care of their problem 2 years ago. So we end up not being able to get over the fence. All that is left besides us, are the boaters. As I understand it, they also may get over to the other side. The fat cats don't only own airplanes, it turns out they own boats too. Soon we will be alone and the 10 1/2% will be our territory exclusively. I don't mind being alone but not at that price!