Provision around taxing private jets sparks partisan brawl in Congress

Source: Politico

06/08/2026 04:45 AM EDT


A little-noticed provision tucked into an air-safety bill pending in Congress would make it easier for wealthy people to avoid paying state and local taxes on their private jets. The legislation would bar tax officials nationwide from using the identifying information that aircraft are required to broadcast while flying as part of their tax-collection efforts.

That’s prompted an outcry from some state officials, who say it’s often difficult to track privately-owned planes and jets — and that the data is critical to being able to enforce the property taxes and other levies owed on them. “Private aircraft owners go to great lengths to hide their aircraft from us,” said Jeff Prang, the assessor for Los Angeles County, where private jets are common. “This data helps us to identify where those aircraft are located.”

At the center of the fight is an air-safety bill lawmakers are now attempting to finalize nearly a year-and-a-half after the January 2025 collision over the Potomac River between a passenger jet and Army helicopter that killed 67 people. And it comes as taxing the rich is a major topic of debate in Washington, where private jets are a frequently invoked symbol of wealth and income disparity.

The proposal has sparked a partisan brawl, with Democrats lambasting the provision and private plane owners seeking a win. “These are extremely wealthy individuals who are not paying their taxes,” said Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Calif), who represents part of Los Angeles and sits on the Transportation and Infrastructure committee. “This is a tool that allows my county to collect what’s owed to them. The bill should not be providing people ways to get around the law.”

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/08/air-safety-taxing-private-jets-00950254