Fuel Tax Talking Points

• Florida’s $ .069 per gallon airline fuel tax is the highest tax on airline fuel of any of the 50 states.

• Last year, airlines paid an estimated $55 million in Florida fuel taxes.

• Florida’s jet fuel tax is some 23% higher than New York’s $ .056 per gallon, and New York only collects tax on fuel consumed inside New York state borders. Florida’s fuel tax is imposed on every gallon pumped in the state, regardless of where it is consumed.

• Revenues from the Florida jet fuel tax are exclusively dedicated to a trust fund that primarily benefits general aviation airports. The airlines and commercial aviation users already pay virtually all of the costs to build and operate the major commercial airports in Florida (i.e., Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Ft. Lauderdale, Jacksonville, et. al.).

• Many major airline "hub" states – such as Texas, Ohio and Maryland – do not impose any sales or excise tax on airline fuel.

• Several state legislatures, including California and New York, are currently considering legislation to suspend, reduce or eliminate their airline fuel taxes.

• Over the past decade, dozens of additional states – including Kentucky, Missouri, Connecticut, New Mexico, Utah, New York and New Jersey – have eliminated or reduced their airline fuel taxes.

• The national trend over the past decades is against airline fuel taxes. Since Florida first established this tax in the 1980’s, no state has initiated a new jet fuel tax and only one or two states have increased their jet fuel taxes (i.e., Montana by one penny from 3 to 4 cents per gallon).