Delta SkyMiles (Pre-WorldPerks Merger) - GA Lawmakers Consider Capping Fuel Tax to Help DL

ATLANTA (AP) _ Several Georgia lawmakers want to cap state taxes
on jet fuel in a bid to help Delta Air Lines Inc.
A bill introduced Tuesday would put a $15 million annual limit
on what airlines would have to pay in state fuel taxes. Currently
Delta is the only airline buying enough fuel here to benefit from
the cap.

Interesting. My first reaction was corporate welfare but as I began to think about it, such a move protects a very valuable employer and incents them to not only remain local but also to continue to expand there as one element of their costs is capped. I'm generally wary of tax breaks that are laser focused as a gift to a specific beneficiary but I can at least see some rationale for this one.

Although the topic of this thread pertains to “all” airlines, Delta Air Lines (and possibly AirTran Airways, to a lesser extent) would most likely be the only airline to benefit from this proposed legislation to “cap the state fuel taxes at US$15 million and help a struggling Delta Air Lines”:

Clayton County Loses on Bill to Save Delta (http://www.news-daily.com/articles/2005/02/10/news/news1.txt)

Delta Air Lines is the largest employer in Georgia and buys the most fuel in Georgia of any airline by far.

This news was also broadcast on the local television news programs in Atlanta.

Gotta love a county trying to protect it's interests. If I were a politician (Would never be) I may do the same thing. Although the 56 bucks per resident is nothing to sneeze at the alternative for that county is DL went under could be devastating.

I, too, saw this from AP.