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During the last few weeks I have received several e-mails from Alabama’s Betty Meyer. She is lobbying for a bill that would bring some logic to taxes in Alabama. Right now, ad valorem taxes on aircraft in Alabama are a full third higher than on cars of equal value. That never seemed right to me, but you know how nobody feels sorry for the “rich fools” who fly these dangerous little airplanes.

Betty and others are backing a bill that would bring this obviously unjust taxation more in line.

Betty’s e-mails have urged me to contact my state representatives on behalf of this bill. She made it easy by including names and contact info. Course it didn’t work in my case, as I no longer live in Alabama. (Betty also publishes an online aviation e-zine and participates in other areas of aviation, usually at her own expense and effort.)

Betty tells me that the most rewarding part of this effort has been the response from her fellow pilots, which has been, she says, terrific. It is widely believed that pilots are not prone to get involved in politics, but Betty says they will indeed stand up to be counted when properly informed.

This whole thing reminds me of a story that is more than three decades old, but still fascinating. During the first oil crisis in the 1970s, Ted Kennedy actually tried to get all—repeat, all—general aviation aircraft grounded in order to save fuel. Mr. Dave Kratz, who at the time more or less owned aviation insurance carrier National Aviation Underwriters (NAU), took exception to Mr. Kennedy on this matter. Kratz and NAU sent mailgrams to every licensed pilot in the country at a tremendous cost in dollars and labor. Mr. Kennedy’s great idea was defeated. All I can say is thank goodness for people like Dave Kratz and Betty Meyer.

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