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| California considers charging residents a tax for sending text messages |
| 2018-12-13 |
| [USA Today] California's Public Utilities Commission is considering a plan that would charge mobile phone users a fee for sending text messages, according to recent public law filings. The proposal is partially due to landline-era legislation coupled with the fact the people are shifting patterns away from voice calls in favor of texting. California is determining whether surcharges and user fees on text messaging comply with Public Purpose Programs, which use tax revenue to make telecommunications services accessible to low-income residents. The programs, which date to the 1930s, were given a face-lift in the late 1990s, allowing individual states to impose requirements to preserve what's referred to as a "universal service." During the rise of the internet, the telecommunications industry was able to elude these taxes by offering "information services" like email and web browsing. However, as mobile phone users shifted their behavior away from making phone calls, voice call revenue for these state programs has dropped by about a third, from $16.5 billion in 2011 to $11.3 billion in 2017, according to law filings. Meanwhile, the budget for subsidizing poorer users has risen by almost half, from $670 million in 2011 to $998 million in 2017, the filings said. The wireless industry argues added fees would put carriers at a higher disadvantage since messaging services like Apple's iMessage, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger would not be charged under the proposed legislation. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #14 I look forward to CA being claimed by the sea, after which it will likely be regurgitated due to the corrupt taste. |
| Posted by: Whiskey Mike 2018-12-13 19:52 |
| #13 Retroactive, nice. Oh, and 'tax benefits' for the company who comes up with an app which texts the user their location every crossing of an intersection. In the guise of a number of silly games to choose from. The 'Turn off texting' option in the game only puts the texts in the background; the still happen they just do not show. Oh, and admissible in court, so if the mark goes out of state to avoid taxes, those taxes can be collected, or if the mark goes to a plus ungood or, gasp, double plus ungood location like a gun range, then the mark will accumulate bad bad choice points which, after reaching certain levels, will trigger certain levels of state examinations - you know, for the public safety. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2018-12-13 13:53 |
| #12 California government in a nutshell: If it moves, tax it. If it stops moving, regulate it. If it moves again, regulate it while taxing it. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2018-12-13 12:55 |
| #11 Yesterday's FCC ruling may quash Calif's text tax plan.... The battle of Rice Bowls has begun. |
| Posted by: crazyhorse 2018-12-13 12:53 |
| #10 When you routinely squander as much money as California's state government does, you need every source of revenue you can get. |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque 2018-12-13 12:47 |
| #9 The proposed tax/surcharge will be 5 years retroactive....if passed. |
| Posted by: crazyhorse 2018-12-13 09:35 |
| #8 The fear is that they won't assimilate. Yep I would imagine they will take a run at taxing anyone who texts someone in Cali from out of state... "No state shall, without the consent of the Congress, lay any imposts or duties on imports or exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it's inspection laws: and the net produce of all duties and imposts, laid by any state on imports or exports, shall be for the use of the treasury of the United States; and all such laws shall be subject to the revision and control of the Congress." Art I, Section 10. ...but who needs no stinking Constitution. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2018-12-13 08:39 |
| #7 I would imagine they will take a run at taxing anyone who texts someone in Cali from out of state... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2018-12-13 08:18 |
| #6 No wonder Californians are moving to other states where taxes are low. The fear is that they won't assimilate. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2018-12-13 07:53 |
| #5 Such a regressive tax that hits children and the poor more than the wealthy! Right in the Democratic Party way! |
| Posted by: 3dc 2018-12-13 05:23 |
| #4 Of course |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2018-12-13 02:49 |
| #3 Do they charge the free Obumble phones? |
| Posted by: Beavis 2018-12-13 02:29 |
| #2 California leads the World. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2018-12-13 00:42 |
| #1 Oh please do!!! Do it for the poor CHILDREN! |
| Posted by: Neville Dark Lord of the Wee Folk7365 2018-12-13 00:31 |
