Trump seems open to increasing SALT cap, local GOP House member says after meeting

President-elect Donald Trump just wants a number.

That’s what the incoming president told a group of House Republicans who recently traveled to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida to pitch him on the idea of lifting the cap on state and local tax deductions, according to one of the GOP House members in the room.

Commonly referred to as SALT, just how to limit deductions for certain state and local taxes has divided Republicans from high-tax states like California, New York and New Jersey. A 2017 Republican-led tax law capped SALT deductions at just $10,000, meaning many taxpayers from those states have had to pay significantly more.

Rep. Young Kim, who was part of the delegation that met with Trump over the weekend, said she told the president-elect directly, in no uncertain terms: “We need you to publicly state that you are committed to fixing this issue.”

“He said, ‘Consider that done and just come back with a number,’” Kim, R-Anaheim Hills, said in an interview following the meeting. “That was very reassuring.”

Lawmakers are huddling on Capitol Hill as Trump prepares to embark on his second term in the White House next week, holding discussions on tax relief proposals

For Kim, any tax bill must include a “SALT fix” — otherwise, don’t count on her vote.

That’s significant given that Republicans only have a four-seat majority in the House.

And she’s not the only Republican who could put a Trump tax plan in jeopardy.

Rep. Nick LaLota, a New York Republican, called a proposal to double the SALT deduction to $20,000 “a nonstarter.”

“It’s almost laughable,” LaLota told CNBC. “It’s way too low to earn our vote.”

Others who could hold up a tax package include GOP Reps. Andrew Garbarino of New York, Thomas Kean Jr. of New Jersey and Mike Lawler of New York, according to CNBC.

Still, Kim struck a note of optimism following her meeting with the president-elect.

“I walked away with a renewed sense of commitment from President Trump that he is going to help us fix this one way or another,” Kim said.

As for the number requested by Trump, Kim said there is ongoing discussion with the House Ways and Means Committee, the chief tax-writing committee, and she wants to ensure that “we get a fair number that will actually bring relief to our communities.”

“All options are on the table there,” Kim said.

And she believes Rep. Jason Smith, who chairs the powerful Ways and Means Committee, is “committed to getting a fix.”

A spokesperson for Smith, a Missouri Republican, did not respond to requests for comment.

Trump, Kim said, “was very receptive to our concerns.”

“I was very pleased to walk into a meeting, immediately being greeted and welcomed by President Trump saying, ‘I understand SALT is very important to you guys. We need to come up with a fix, and I am committed to finding a solution this cycle.’”

A spokesperson for the president-elect did not respond to requests for comment, but Trump has vowed on social media to “get SALT back, to lower your taxes” during the most recent presidential campaign.

In all, 16 Republicans from California, New Jersey and New York met with the incoming president for more than an hour, Kim said.

They also spoke to Trump about wildfire aid for California, Kim said. The congresswoman said she implored Trump to focus on aid first and the politics of it all later.

“The bottom line is this: The message that we gave to (Trump) — and then the message that he reaffirmed with us — is that regarding the wildfires, if aid is needed, we must deliver,” Kim said. “Let’s not put politics over saving people’s lives and bringing relief to the families and those who are affected by it.”