Arkansas Blog

Max, you know of course argument is that it is fair because the prosperity in NWA subsidizes the schools and gov programs in Eudora...well maybe not fair but it confuses the issue long enough for the media and voters to get distracted...wait I see a bright shiny object...what were we talking about...that's right the subsidies balance between NWA and SEA.

Considering that the people in Eudora probably don't pay nearly the amoung of taxes paid by the people in Fayetteville, I'd say that's a typically bad comparison. Pitiful.

ARK. BLOG: It's all proportionate. Why should people in Eudora subsidize corporate jet hangars at Fayetteville. But you're also right. Fayetteville taxpayers are REALLY getting screwed on this deal given the amount of city money being invested for something only a handful use. Whatever happened to free enterprise?

I don't disagree that people should pay rent to store their planes, but Eudora has no right to money from Fayetteville. You keep complaining about how NWA is stealing from the rest of the state. You've got it backwards. NWA is paying a lot more in taxes in the state than any other part of the state, as a percentage of population.

I'm not from NWA by the way. I don't have a right to my neighbor's money, though.

ARK. BLOG: You're simply wrong about money transfer. Central Arkansas still contributes far more to the state treasury. I never said NWA was stealing. It's a major contributor, too. But, if you haven't read the item on the airport. $9.2 million in subsidies over five years for an airport that doesn't charge users enough to break even on operating costs should outrage you.

As usual, the moral concept of stealing is difficult for our leaders to grasp. But then, they get their ideas from people who never miss the mote in their neighbor's eye. We should probably blame this on the victims: the poor, the young and the immigrant.

"Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty--power is ever stealing from the many to the few." Wendell Phillips

Max, I already said that I think people should have to pay a fair rent.

If that was all this was about, that would be fine. But you and I both know that this has nothing to do with Eudora or any other impoverished part of the state.

Careful there Anonypuss, your paranoia is showing.

How much state money are we wasting on the Arkansas Department of Aeronautics and its program of grants to the jet set? Perhaps this is a good example of a government program that should be outsourced or privatized? If the corporate customers and private plane hobbyists need this service, let them pay for it and let someone make a profit from their custom. Just leave the taxpayers out of it.

Scroll on thru Iconoclast and read about luxury airport condos the city will finance for the well-healed, all in the name of "service to the flying public." I doubt many of them traipse over to Underwoods and buy their $75,000 braceles and pay sales tax on them....oh wait, sales taxes are capped in Ark. Guess who that benefits?

As I understand it, airports are as open to the public as the interstate system.. Private planes are expected as a courtesy to refill when they use an airport... but the runway, jet parking, and tower crew etc.. are all a government infrastructure/service available for commercial or private use..

Why don't the very wealthy owners of multi million dollar planes pay enough in parking fees to cover the racket out front in the auto parking lots... let everyone auto park for free (including the wealthy) out front and those who can afford luxury such as their own plane make up the difference.

Free auto parking for everyone.. Luxury tax the rich!

carlos, I don't think you get it, as usual. I am not suggesting some sort of conspiracy. I'm just pointing out how silly it is to bemoan Eudora's supposed loss resulting from this situation.

Oh I get it Anonypuss, just gigging you a little to see how much furthur down in the barrel you dig to find something to whine about. You're almost at the bottom already.

What might really be interesting is to find out where these aircraft are actually registered for property tax purposes. Write down the "N" numbers on the tail and input them into one of the aviation databases like the FAA's or POPAV.com. They may be based in Fayetteville, but registered in a no-property-tax state like Delaware & off the tax rolls in Washington County. Aircraft in Arkansas are subject to personal property taxes, either privately owned or corporately owned.

carlos, I'm glad that you think you're clever. You must need all that hate to keep you warm. I'm glad I can help you perpetuate your sad existence.

Thanks for the laugh Anonypuss, I needed that.

Well...I can hardly enjoy my bowl of Wheaties in the morning knowing I am paying 25 to 30% of my income every tax period when some hedge fund guy making 300 million is paying 15%. I can't find any fairness in that.

Unless things have recently changed, a trip from the Dallas to NWA was considerably cheaper
flying to Tulsa and renting a car. Allowing Southwest Airlines access to Tyson-Walton National,
might make it a profitable airport. But then the lear jet crowd would have to mix with the local
population.