But Bramble, a certified public accountant, says that just as Huntsman accommodated nonprofit entities with a charitable tax credit in his plan (the LDS Church especially wanted the charity deduction kept in some form), home ownership is an important social benefit as well — and should be reflected in any tax reform.

Bramble chastised fellow CPA Keith Prescott, one of three tax experts who helped draft Huntsman's proposal, for not providing the committee detailed numbers on how home mortgage interest could impact Huntsman's plan.

Prescott said if the current 100 percent mortgage interest deduction were included, Huntsman's top tax rate of 5 percent would either have to go up to 5.6 percent or 5.7 percent (muting the plan's economic development incentives) or the state would lose $200 million. Since all income funds go to public and higher education, Prescott said after the meeting the state couldn't afford such a loss.

"We have a lot of children coming into public schools (150,000 over 10 years) and we have to education them. We have to have an adequately educated work force" to grow economically, Prescott said.

But Bramble believes some kind of mortgage interest break can be given on "starter homes — like $150,000" to encourage home ownership. Interest deductions could be capped, denying the benefit for very expensive houses or denying the interest break on second mortgages, which are often used like credit cards to just buy more consumer goods without really improving equity in a home.

Four income tax plans will be taken to task force public hearings:

• Huntsman's 5 percent "flatter" tax, which includes a credit for charitable giving and caps personal exemptions at five.

• Bramble's "modified" Huntsman plan, which has no cap on personal exemptions and some kind of starter-home interest deduction.

• Rep. John Dougall's "pure" 4 percent flat tax, which has no deductions for mortgage interest or charitable deductions but does allow unlimited personal exemptions (an aid to large families with lots of kids).

• A plan promoted by House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, and Majority Whip Steve Urquhart, R-St. George (who sits on the task force), which keeps Utah's basic personal income tax system intact, but would lower the current 7 percent top rate (which almost every one pays) as well as spread the outdated tax brackets. All current exemptions and deductions would be kept.

In the 2004-05 fiscal year that ended June 30, Utah brought in around $400 million extra in tax revenue, much of it coming in the personal income tax. Urquhart has said the tax rates could be lowered in the 2006 Legislature by whatever degree legislators decided — but he supports at least a $40 million income tax cut next year.