If you live outside of Washington State, this probably doesn't concern you - but the idea should trouble pilots everywhere. Marko Liias is a State Senator from District 21 in Snohomish County, Washington. That is home to both Paine field (KPAE) and Harvey Field (S43). Senator Liias is chair of the State Senate Transportation Committee, and the primary driver behind HB-2711. The purpose of this legislation is to provide additional support for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) infrastructure in Washington State. The original version of the bill would have added a 10% excise tax on the purchase of airplanes costing over $500,000. Those funds would have provided the project funding for Senator Liias' SAF infrastructure projects. Wealthy individuals and corporations complained about how unfair this was - taxing them just because they are rich, so the bill was amended to remove the excise tax on planes costing over $500K and adding an extra annual excise tax on all aircraft, raising the registration fees on all aircraft in the state and raising the tax on all aviation fuel sales. That includes 100LL avgas even though planes that use avgas will never benefit from the improved SAF infrastructure. This is another case of removing financial burdens from individuals and corporations that have the most wealth and transferring the burden of a pet project to less fortunate pilots that will NEVER benefit from the project. The increased avgas fuel tax begins on November 1st, 2026. It is just mid October and Washington State already has the highest avgas prices in the country. Take a look at this avgas price map from a fake flight I planned from Puget Sound to Arkansas:
The only airport shown in this picture with fuel prices higher than 100 LL prices than in Puget Sound is a lone airport on the coast of Maryland! Even California has lower avgas prices now, and the situation will get worse when the new taxes show up on November 1st. It seems our legislators wants Washington State to become exclusively for the uber rich. I've sent my concerns to AOPA, to my State Senator and Congressional Reps and to the State Chair of the legislative aviation caucus. I got crickets from everyone except my State House Rep. Even that response basically told me nothing could be done. I'm angry after working hard my whole life and to finally be able to fly in retirement and that privilege is slowly being taxed away from me. Grrrrrr. Any letters of complaint the collective horde could send to Senator Liias (email address above) would be greatly appreciated!
The only airport shown in this picture with fuel prices higher than 100 LL prices than in Puget Sound is a lone airport on the coast of Maryland! Even California has lower avgas prices now, and the situation will get worse when the new taxes show up on November 1st. It seems our legislators wants Washington State to become exclusively for the uber rich. I've sent my concerns to AOPA, to my State Senator and Congressional Reps and to the State Chair of the legislative aviation caucus. I got crickets from everyone except my State House Rep. Even that response basically told me nothing could be done. I'm angry after working hard my whole life and to finally be able to fly in retirement and that privilege is slowly being taxed away from me. Grrrrrr. Any letters of complaint the collective horde could send to Senator Liias (email address above) would be greatly appreciated!
