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Wiregrass legislative delegation celebrates bill promoting aviation
Dothan, March 23, 2012: Officials at Dothan Regional Airport joined the chamber, City of Dothan and Houston County representatives today in thanking Wiregrass legislators for sponsoring a bill that promotes aviation industry jobs for the area. House Bill 39 passed the Alabama Senate this week amidst a storm of phone calls and emails of support from locals who recognized the opportunity to enhance the Wiregrass as a prospective industry location.
House Bill 39 allows an exemption from sales tax on parts, components and systems used in the conversion, reconfiguration or maintenance of aircraft. The exemption would apply to companies like PEMCO, which operated for almost 50 years at Dothan Regional Airport. PEMCO announced it would close this spring and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this month. Dothan-Houston County Airport Authority Board Chairman Charles Nailen said, “We lost a great tenant, but more importantly we lost a lot of jobs. This bill will help us market this wonderful facility and replace those jobs.”
The bill was a priority on the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce legislative agenda this year. “We waited a long time for this. Aviation and defense are top recruiting industries. Alabama now has an even playing field with several other states that already offer this incentive,” said chamber President Matt Parker.
Key sponsor Rep. Paul Lee was present this morning, along with Sen. Harri Anne Smith, Sen. Jimmy Holley, Rep. Steve Clouse, and Rep. Dexter Grimsley. Rep. Donnie Chesteen was unable to attend.
This group has made inroads working with Representative Paul Lee to sponsor a bill that would remove state sales tax from aviation related parts. This has been done in other states and would help aviation maintenance related companies to be more competitive. They have also met with the supertindents of the Dothan City School System and the Houston County School System to encourage them to develop an aviation vocational program. Space at the airport to do the program has been offered and grant monies may assist the school systems in the costs. An additional goal for this year is to work toward bringing stakeholders together to develop an Environmental Assessment Study of the airport and the surrounding area. Any major development would have to have this first and this study would reduce the time needed to open a new company in the area.
Click on the link above and see what the Aviation Group determined with their SWOT Analysis!!!
Aviation Goal: In conjunction with the Dothan Regional Airport and Airport Authority, develop a marketing plan to assist the Airport authority with their economic development efforts.
Plan
- Conduct a SWOT assessment for the airport
- Create a website for the region
- Develop a public/private partnership to fund this effort
- Educate the general public on the airport, the different functions of the airport and the aviation industry