With the introduction of bipartisan legislation, entitled the “Cell Tax Fairness Act of 2008,” national consumer advocacy coalition MyWireless.org has called for a five-year break for consumers from new “discriminatory” state and local wireless taxes. The bipartisan legislation calls for a moratorium to be placed on new unfair wireless taxes for five years.
According to a press release on the MyWireless Web site, American wireless consumers pay over 15 percent on average in combined monthly wireless taxes, fees and surcharges. The coalition argues that the American citizens deserve a break from excessive taxes on communication in these times of economic slowdown. The Web site states that 89 percent of wireless consumers are extremely happy with their wireless services and choices. They do not want the government to interfere with regulations in a marketplace that works for them.
“Wireless has overwhelmingly become the service of choice for staying connected, but also for mobile Internet content, music, gaming, video and more,” Kimberly Kuo, Executive Director of MyWireless.org said. “Consumers clearly want to prevent more spiraling taxes on wireless. 85 percent think they pay enough — or too much — and support policies that would prohibit more state and local taxes and fees on wireless,” Kuo continued. “Legislation has now been introduced in the U.S. House — placing a five-year tax hiatus on new discriminatory state and local wireless taxes — and [today] is the perfect occasion for us to mobilize consumers to urge their elected officials in Washington to pass the Lofgren-Cannon “Cell Tax Fairness Act of 2008.”
MyWireless.org is a national non-profit consumer advocacy organization giving wireless consumers a powerful and unified voice to protect the freedom and security they enjoy with wireless services. The Representatives and Senators at the MyWireless.org Web site have been helping hundreds of thousands of wireless consumers across the country to avoid excessive taxes and regulations.
As a result of its efforts, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) stopped collection of a 108-year old tax, the three percent Federal Excise Tax (FET) on bundled communications services, including wireless in 2006. This relief came after the average tax burden on America’s 257 million wireless consumers had climbed to over 17 percent.
Raju Shanbhag is a contributing editor for IoTevolutionworld. To see more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.
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