New US bill would ban cellular taxes

updated 03:20 pm EDT, Thu March 19, 2009

Cellphone Tax Fairness Act


A cross-party bill has been submitted in the US Congress this week that would at least temporarily ban additional taxes on cellphones or their service. The Cellphone Tax Fairness Act, sponsored by California Democrat representative Zoe Lofgren and Arizona Republican Trent Franks, would prevent any form of "discriminatory" state tax being applied to the technology for five years after the bill is passed. It wouldn't affect existing state taxes or new federal taxes.

Lofgren said the bill would let customers focus their cellphone decisions more on the actual merits of the technology rather than on the amount of taxes applied to a particular service. The CTIA, a key US cellular industry advocacy group, has also voiced its expected support for the measure as it would "ease the tax burden" on end users and also keep prices for phones and service lower.

The Act is still in the early stages and has yet to clear a Judiciary Committee before reaching a general Congressional vote.


By Electronista Staff

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Previous Comments

  1. testudo

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    -1

    So...

    I thought the Republicans were all about State rights.

    Gee, it couldn't be they're just as bad as Democrats in supporting or opposing legislation based more on getting re-elected or satisfying donors.


  1. bigjimid

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Feb 2009

    0

    ...

    Maybe they are trying to show they can actually help us get some tax breaks too, hence the cross-party. They can't let the Democrats take all the cake now can they.

    Democrats - "Yes we can!"


  1. testudo

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    -1

    Re: ...

    Yet you notice the bill does nothing to prevent the federal gov't from taxing up a storm...


  1. b9robot

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Feb 2009

    0

    I'll take it

    I'll take it, less taxes the better.


  1. UberFu

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Oct 2002

    0

    Wrong Headline MacNN..

    "New US bill would ban cellular taxes"

    this should read:

    "New US bill would ban cellular tax increases"


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