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Tom Callan and KSL News reporting Utah legislators may give Delta Air Lines a massive tax break in an effort to keep the carrier's hub in Salt Lake City.
House Speaker Greg Curtis and other lawmakers fly to Atlanta tomorrow to meet with Delta officials. Senate President John Valentine says the question comes down to this: How much of Delta's worldwide operations should be taxed in Utah?
"If we made it sales to Utahns only, it would give incentive for Delta to have Utah employees, plants, equipment, airplanes in Utah," he said.
He adds if there is a tax cut for Delta, trucking and the railroads would need similar consideration. Lawmakers tell the Deseret Morning News they like the idea of changing the corporate income tax to give specific breaks to the transportation industry.
Governor Huntsman has said he is "fully engaged" in keeping Delta, or its corporate successor, in Utah. National transportation leaders have said Delta is in merger talks with Northwest Airlines. Neither airline's spokesmen would confirm the talks.
