California Looking To Tax Texts (illegal aliens, companies, cost, rating)

[DRob4JC]

OMG! Now California wants to tax text-messaging? State regulators say surcharge on text messaging would help fund programs that make phone service accessible to the poor

State regulators have been ginning up a scheme to charge a fee for text messaging on mobile phones to help support programs that make phone service accessible to the poor. The wireless industry and business groups have been working to defeat the proposal, now scheduled for a vote next month by the California Public Utilities Commission.

“It’s a dumb idea,” said Jim Wunderman, president of the Bay Area Council business-sponsored advocacy group. “This is how conversations take place in this day and age, and it’s almost like saying there should be a tax on the conversations we have.”

Don't give them any more ideas...

A dense California Public Utilities Commission report laying out the case for the texting surcharge says the Public Purpose Program budget has climbed from $670 million in 2011 to $998 million last year. But the telecommunications industry revenues that fund the program have fallen from $16.5 billion in 2011 to $11.3 billion in 2017, it said.

“This is unsustainable over time,” the report says, arguing that adding surcharges on text messaging will increase the revenue base that funds programs that help low-income Californians afford phone service.

Does anyone even ask how the budget increased almost 50% in 6 years?

I bet I can guess, in part, how the revenue decreased... people migrating out of the state being replaced by illegal aliens...

Oh well... This is what they want... give it to them.


Here's my question... I assume this "phone service" to the poor is cell phone service... will they be taxed for texting also?

[madison999]

Their phones will be exempt.

If it costs the company more money to make that happen they will either be regulated into providing the product and pass the cost onto paying consumers, or more taxes will pay for it.

[Frank DeForrest]

Vinnie and Rocco want their "taste"

[Dbones]

That state just runs around with tax ideas like a flyswatter swatting the flies on the poop in the streets.

[BentBow]

You cannot make this crap up!
They are running out of other peoples money....

[Roboteer]

You should post about the things the California majority Democrats DON'T want to tax.

The list would be a lot shorter.

[InformedConsent]

[saltine]

Originally Posted by Frank DeForrest

Vinnie and Rocco want their "taste"

Lol

[Loveshiscountry]

Originally Posted by Frank DeForrest

Vinnie and Rocco want their "taste"

Just enough to wet their beak.

[t206]

I wonder how long it will take for one of the tech companies to come up with something that skirts the rules of what a "text message" is and completely sidesteps the tax.