Now there's going to be money, from the new $3 ticket tax.

The action will also permit travel-related payments by individuals, including departure fees and ticket taxes.

Congress said the ticket tax could be used only for projects related to airports themselves.

In the past, the entire ticket tax had been put into a trust fund earmarked for aviation programs.

The increased ticket taxes instead are being used to reduce the deficit.

Lowering the consumer's cost by cutting ticket taxes and passenger charges may encourage more travel, airline officials say.

The Administration proposal calls for users to pay 85 percent of the agency's costs through the higher fuel and ticket taxes.

Not unnaturally, aviation interests oppose an increase in the ticket tax to 10 percent from 8 percent.

And the ticket tax is part of an overall program of revenues.

(Passengers pay a ticket tax, but it isn't tied to how the money is spent.)