[monkeyshine]

Not that I approve of this at all, but why don’t they just up the surcharge on the current phone tax? Why add another line item to the existing bill?

Not that I expect these leftist lunatics to understand, but I would contend that a “text-tax” would violate free speech rights. You have the right to text. You don’t have a right to a phone (or apparrantly you do, if you can prove you can’t afford one one will be given to you). Since the phone is the privilege, that tax is legal. A tax on speech and writing is unconstitutional.

[Drago]

Already $12.24 in itemized taxes/fees/surcharges on my 3-line cellular bill in CA...only one “surcharge” listed (”State Public Utility Surcharge”...4 cents per line...CPUC salaries I reckon). Anyway, the only “free speech” is verbal face-to-face I guess...government can tax everything else. ISP service taxes and Internet sales taxes are next.

[rollo tomasi]

You can text all you want, however, once you hit send, all bets are off legally since it goes through several other independent channels at your convenience.