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Setback for CEV tax credit in California

The Los Angeles Daily News reported that an effort to win a tax credit for companies that perform Crew Exploration Vehicle work in California failed to make it through the state legislature. The bill, AB 2033, would extend an existing tax credit for Joint Strike Fighter work in the state and expand it to include CEV work. However, the bill failed to make it out of committee in the Assembly and was not included in the overall state budget. One of the co-sponsors of the legislation, Assemblywoman Sharon Runner (R-Lancaster), said she would work with the governor’s office to find a way to get the tax credit approved, perhaps as part of an omnibus tax credit bill later this year.

(The article has one laugher: “The CEV program is expected to cost more than $104 billion over the next 15 years.” Gosh, I hope not.)

Speaking of California space legislation, another bill introduced by Assemblywoman Runner is gradually making progress. AJR 52 is a resolution that would ask NASA to loan the shuttle Atlantis, which will likely be the first of the three remaining orbiters to be retired, to its Palmdale assembly site. (Read some earlier coverage of this bill.) The bill was unanimously approved by an Assembly committee last week, with minor amendments, such as formally identifying the “Palmdale facility” as “Air Force Plant 42″ and including the NASA administrator on the distribution list for the resolution if it is eventually approved.

5 comments to Setback for CEV tax credit in California

  • Chris Mann

    “The CEV program is expected to cost more than $104 billion over the next 15 years.” Gosh, I hope not.)

    They’re just factoring in the inevitable 200% cost overruns.

  • Nemo

    They’re just factoring in the inevitable 200% cost overruns.

    The overrun would have to be closer to 600% to produce a $104 billion budget for CEV alone. That’s currently the budget for CEV, CLV, LSAM, and CaLV combined.

  • Matthew Corey Brown

    Unfortunatly the average Joe thinks CEV is the VSE, so they see the whole cost as one. Why we need to educate the public more on what is really going on with the VSE.

  • Nemo

    Matthew Corey Brown wrote:
    Why we need to educate the public more on what is really going on with the VSE.

    Well, maybe it will become easier now that the vehicles have catchy names like Altair, Artemis, Ares I, and Ares V instead of cryptic acronyms like CEV, LSAM, CLV, and CaLV…

  • Chris Mann

    Unfortunatly the average Joe thinks CEV is the VSE, so they see the whole cost as one. Why we need to educate the public more on what is really going on with the VSE.

    Joe Public knows what is going on with the VSE, that’s why he’s not supporting it. Until the moronic porkbarrel politics end, he’s simply going to demand to have his dollars put into defence, schools, football and NASCAR.