The Senate Rules Committee of the state of Georgia just voted within the past hour to remove the jet fuel tax break slated for Delta Air Lines out of a comprehensive tax overhaul.
Breaking News: Jet Fuel Tax Break for Delta Air Lines Voted Out By Georgia Senate
“The amendment was presented by the governor’s floor leader”, according to this article written by Richard Elliot for WSB-TV Channel 2 Action News in Atlanta. “He said no one wanted to sacrifice those tax cuts to an unpopular jet fuel tax break.”
#Breaking The Senate Rules Committee just voted to strip the Delta jet fuel tax break out of the comprehensive tax overhaul. This is fallout from the Delta-NRA dust up. The amendment was presented by the governor's floor leader. pic.twitter.com/ASufypfL4t
— Richard Elliot (@RElliotWSB) February 28, 2018
Legislation in the form of a bill called House Bill 821 calls for the amendment of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, which — if passed — will essentially eliminate the sales and use taxes levied on jet fuel for all airlines which purchase fuel in the state of Georgia; and Delta Air Lines stood to benefit the most from this legislation to the tune of tens of millions of dollars…
…but in a bizarre twist over the stance of the airline with regard to the National Rifle Association — or NRA — the Republican lieutenant governor of the state of Georgia had threatened to “kill any tax legislation that benefits @Delta unless the company changes its position and fully reinstates its relationship with @NRA. Corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back.”
I will kill any tax legislation that benefits @Delta unless the company changes its position and fully reinstates its relationship with @NRA. Corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back.
— Casey Cagle (@CaseyCagle) February 26, 2018
Lawmakers from other parts of the United States are now actively courting Delta Air Lines to move its headquarters to their cities or states — including Andrew Cuomo, who is the governor of the state of New York…
.@Delta, if Georgia politicians disagree with your stand against gun violence, we invite you to move your headquarters to New York. https://t.co/BHvyPECWSe
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) February 27, 2018
…and Ralph Northam, who is the governor of the state of Virginia:
Hey @delta—Virginia is for lovers and airline hubs. You're welcome here any time. https://t.co/BxxnOhEpt6
— Governor Ralph Northam (@GovernorVA) February 27, 2018
Nathan Deal — who is the current governor of the state of Georgia during his final year in office — is expected to address this issue within the next hour or so.
Update as of 5:52 in the evening Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday, February 28, 2018: According to this article written by Greg Bluestein for the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Nathan Deal said he would reluctantly support a measure that stripped a lucrative tax break for Delta Air Lines but also includes broader cuts to the state’s income tax rate.”
Casey Cagle is one of several candidates currently running in the gubernatorial race in the state of Georgia. The election for the new governor is scheduled for later this year, as Deal cannot be elected again due to term limits.
Summary
In this article which I wrote two days ago, I mentioned that “I highly doubt that Delta Air Lines would move its headquarters and hub from Atlanta to somewhere else should it still be required to continue paying the sales and use taxes levied on jet fuel if the legislation does not pass.” I still believe this to be the case; but a response from Delta Air Lines has not yet been forthcoming.
As more information is expected to be forthcoming pertaining to this controversial issue — which continues to spiral out of control — I intend to add it to this article.
Please fasten your seat belts and stay tuned…
Photograph ©2015 by Brian Cohen.
