Posted on 10/08/2021 3:00:11 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Californians could have higher cellphone bills after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two laws on Friday aimed at giving the state more money to build high-speed internet connections in unserved areas.
California is one of 41 states that collect a tax on phone bills and uses the money to build high-speed internet connections. The laws Newsom signed Friday make sure the state will keep collecting that tax — and collect more of it.
The laws don’t increase the tax, but it extends the tax, which was scheduled to expire at the end of next year. The laws make it easier for state regulators to change how the tax is collected, which will likely lead to people paying more on their cellphone bills. And the laws let the state collect more of the tax than it could before, up to $150 million per year.
The new laws are the final pieces of Democrats’ plan this year to make high-speed internet available to more people. Democratic leaders were prompted by the pandemic, which put the state’s broadband access into sharper focus once all of the state’s school children had to learn from home for most of the year.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
Another good reason why I left the once Golden State of California!
Did you know that you are paying for the Spanish-American War?
That’s right, every month on your phone bill, you are paying a tax that was specifically created to pay for the war that began and ended in 1898. That year, Congress imposed a so-called “temporary” tax of one cent per telephone call to help pay for our expenses in the war. By 1990, that once cent per call had increased to three percent of your phone bill.
Following eleven federal court losses, the IRS will no longer collect the tax on long distance calls, and they plan to refund these taxes that were paid over the past three years. However, they will continue to collect the tax on local telephone service. A move is now afoot in the U.S. Congress to repeal this “temporary” tax before it can be amended to apply to all telecommunications methods, including internet and other technologies that are not subject to the tax.
Ronald Reagan said that the closest thing to eternal life we’ll see on this earth is a government agency. That bit of hyperbole could also be applied to “temporary” taxes.
“I see you still have some money there. Give it to me.”
>>unserved areas<<
LOL. If the money isn’t filched for pet projects, it’s going straight to the projects.
Those areas without high speed internet are primarily not a demographic inclined to vote for these communists. That Newsom would do anything for them is a complete joke.
My life is so peaceful since I left CA
out of control government is out of control.
which put the state’s broadband access into sharper focus once all of the state’s school children
“For the children!”
Newsom knows perfectly well that in Calif, the cable companies offer $5 internet to any household with school children (but not for senior citizens who live independently). Not to mention free wi-fi in libraries, outside starbucks, McDonalds, community centers, Head Start centers inside low-income housing communities, etc. and free obama phones with unlimited internet.
The only thing you get out of working at a legitimate job is your feeling of self worth. It sure isn’t money! Half of it is taken away and given to those who don’t bother working, but do bother voting democrat.
I have heard you can call to have that tax removed.
Yeah but isn’t strange it’s still on there?
Does the state build anything? Or do they just take the tax money and give it to the people who do? And who are those people and who is watching their progress?
CHECK YOUR MISC TAXES ON YOUR BILL NOW IT WAS FOR OBAMA FREE PHONES
ABOUT 1/3 of my total land line bill is various taxes.
NO CELL PHONE.
I just asked someone in the telecom business and they said we are still paying back expenses from that war BUT if you ask your telecom company to remove it, they have to.
Golden Shower State
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