Lafayette seems to charge 3.5% sales tax on Comcast Internet-only (not TV) monthly bills? (finance, accountant)

[davebarnes]

Franchise fee and not sales tax??

[smihaila]

I've only seen so far the franchise fees charged only by utility companies i.e. XCel.
And Comcast has clearly communicated that it is a sales tax.

[Joey2k]

Originally Posted by smihaila

If Internet-only is what you have as a service with Comcast, would you mind telling what's the total amount payable for your $39.99 bill? And possibly a city or zip code. Thank you.

Would you mind sending me a link to the plan you are on (if you can find it)? I have an internet only plan that is costing me over $70 a month (with Xfinity, which is Comcast).

[smihaila]

The service I'm having is called "Internet Performance Plus". Featuring 60 Mbs download and the usual 6 Mbs upload rate. Sometimes, at Comcast's discretion, they decide on their own to slightly increase the download rate (up to 75 Mbs). As some gesture of courtesy, or simply to entice you to want more.

The service is the first one listed to the left, on this page:
https://www.xfinity.com/learn/internet-service

Actually priced lower ($29.99) than what I am charged ($49.95). Obviously for new customers only.
You know the drill: it's a whole negotiation, cat-and-mouse game. You have to counteract to all of their dirty and unethical "sales tactics" and find ingenious way to bring the cost down. Sometimes the measures can be as radical as cancelling the service completely and surviving without Internet for about a week. And then they will gladly re-establish your service and at a more agreeable price. Usually staying in touch with the offshore agents, via online chat works better.

[Quietude]

Originally Posted by smihaila

I've only seen so far the franchise fees charged only by utility companies i.e. XCel.

Again, broadband is new enough that it often falls outside the restrictions and demands of tariffed services like phone and energy.

Originally Posted by Joey2k

Would you mind sending me a link to the plan you are on (if you can find it)? I have an internet only plan that is costing me over $70 a month (with Xfinity, which is Comcast).

Not sure what the plan is; I had the choice of 60/6 at $39.99 or something faster at $49.99; I think both go up $10 on month 13. It was on their services page, but I had to dig a little to get past all the bundled and super-speed stuff.

Originally Posted by smihaila

The service I'm having is called "Internet Performance Plus". Featuring 60 Mbs download and the usual 6 Mbs upload rate.

That's what I have. I switched from my year with CenturyLink (40/5) when they jacked the rate from $55 net - I paid extra because I refused to allow autopay - to over $90. Fortunately the house was wired for both, I had the gear on the shelf and could do everything myself, no install fee or modem costs involved.

Pricing is a complete shell game, yes.

[smihaila]

The city of Lafayette is mysteriously refusing to answer to my direct inquiry.

I have followed up, and insisting on asking them to provide me an answer. Without which I shall bring all the public media to their door. I'll be also contacting the State of Colorado Department of Revenue.

At this stage, I have a strong gut feeling that what's happening here is fraud and deceit.

[Quietude]

Originally Posted by smihaila

The city of Lafayette is mysteriously refusing to answer to my direct inquiry.

I have followed up, and insisting on asking them to provide me an answer. Without which I shall bring all the public media to their door. I'll be also contacting the State of Colorado Department of Revenue.

At this stage, I have a strong gut feeling that what's happening here is fraud and deceit.

I'd doubt the first, and attribute the latter to ignorance and obfuscation. Exactly what did the City say to you?

[smihaila]

The city has yet to answer.

I've only got this reply, from a private entity which Lafayette is contracting in order to collect / process all sale taxes (the company's name is MUNIREV.com) - the e-mail looked like a forward to some internal person from the city of Lafayette administration:

<<< Can you please review the below email about a tax assessed on an internet bill for Lafayette?

[the_real_name_for_smihaila]; the city will be able to clarify this tax you are seeing.

Thanks, [NameOfSomePersonAtMUNIREV]

The MUNIRevs Support Team
support@munirevs.com
888-751-1911 >>>

...and as you can see, the private (money pusher / leech) entity was unable to provide an explanation. Because well ... they are just the paper pushers who drain money from tax payers.

[Quietude]

Okay, well, I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill. If Lafayette uses a service to handle their tax revenue (a smart move, incidentally, for civic entities of a certain size, like a business too big to do its own books using a CPA until it's big enough to need an accounting department), your inquiry is just lost among CS people who can't answer and experts who don't want to. Assuming it's some monstrous conspiracy is probably premature.

I'd just keep at them, with a clearly phrased question, until you get an answer.

If any part of your "taxes is theft" nonsense is leaking through, they will take much longer.

[davebarnes]

For questions on city municipal code please contact the City of Lafayette at 303-665-5588 option 5