I just opened a big thick letter from the state tax commision. I had received it several days ago and figured it was bad news of some kind. Not so, I got this covered.

They want to see documentation on my claims of the last few years: I have been filing for the road tax back on all the mo gas I buy for the plane. What will work in my favor I think is that I buy in 300 gallon batchs, from a fuel wholesaler who gives me a detailed receipt. So just a few of them, not a pile of misc receipts. Says right on them PREMIUM NON ETHANOL I will back this up will some calculations on the hours flown during the period in question, and educate them on the fuel burn of the Rotax. Also, go into how I have to drive 60 miles to buy this straight gas rather then ethanol laced. Probably also throw in the fact my daily drivers all burn regular, include a picture of the runway and hangar, and generally convince them I am for real on this and not a tax cheat. The best thing is I am, and I'm not, so no problemo. I am excited to have the chance to educate them on the subject.

courierguy wrote:I just opened a big thick letter from the state tax commision. I had received it several days ago and figured it was bad news of some kind. Not so, I got this covered.

They want to see documentation on my claims of the last few years: I have been filing for the road tax back on all the mo gas I buy for the plane. What will work in my favor I think is that I buy in 300 gallon batchs, from a fuel wholesaler who gives me a detailed receipt. So just a few of them, not a pile of misc receipts. Says right on them PREMIUM NON ETHANOL I will back this up will some calculations on the hours flown during the period in question, and educate them on the fuel burn of the Rotax. Also, go into how I have to drive 60 miles to buy this straight gas rather then ethanol laced. Probably also throw in the fact my daily drivers all burn regular, include a picture of the runway and hangar, and generally convince them I am for real on this and not a tax cheat. The best thing is I am, and I'm not, so no problemo. I am excited to have the chance to educate them on the subject.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Next, look for something in the mail to pay up your fair share of the aviation fuel tax.

I too burn car gas, keep the reciepts, log where the fuel goes (it can also go into any off-road vehicle, lawn mower etc.), fill out the form and get a State refund on mogas. Maybe $25-$40 per year. Not a big money maker.

courierguy wrote:......I am excited to have the chance to educate them on the subject.

That's a lost cause, Tom-- you can't educate someone unless they want to learn. (take it from me, and all my high school teachers).
I used to turn in my receipts quarterly & get the Washington state road tax refunded. How it worked was, the state refunded the road tax, but deducted from that refund amount the regular state sales tax and aviation tax. The per gallon amount refunded fluctutated-- the hgher the gas prices, the less the refund. . A couple years ago I got back nothing one quarter, except a letter explaining that when the gas price went above $3.75 there was nothing left to refund. Gas prices have gone down since then but not enough to really make it worth the hassle. I should do it anyway, since then money would be going into the aviation dept instead of the road dept & the general fund, but I'm too lazy.

I've delt wirth the Idaho tax commission twice when they wanted to know why I was claiming to have paid "significantly less than average value" for an airplane on their sales tax forms (a C-150 for $7,500 in 1998 and a C-172 for $10,000 in 2005). Both times they seemed supprisingly reasonable and rational about the whole deal . If you have all your reciepts in order, you should have no problems with them.

The Division of Aeronautics has recently realized that there are a number of potential mogas burners that aren't filling out their forms for rebate. I believe there will be an article coming out in Rudder Flutter some time soon about this subject. It is important to them because although you get around $.18 per gallon back, they get $.07 per gallon toward helping fund airport projects. Every little bit helps.
If you have a problem with ITC you may want to call ITD to help.