In late 2004 I worked on a planning committee for Washinton Software’s Alliance (WSA) Wireless conference, Crossing the Wireless Chasm. The keynote was Steve Largent, ex-Seahawk, now President of CTIA. In his keynote he remarked about how states tax the mobile industry becuase they percieve it as a luxury and not a neccessity, and they tax at free will. We (the People) have won a battle.
Phone customers are due $9 billion in tax refunds and a 3% cut in wireless phone and long-distance bills, according to a series of federal court decisions.
But the federal government continues to collect the tax and requires so much paperwork for refunds that only big corporations are likely to benefit.
The average consumer would be entitled to a refund about the size of the average $49.52 monthly bill paid by the USA’s 195 million wireless subscribers. However, consumers would be required to seek refunds individually, documenting how much they paid each quarter in separate claims.
The time limit for refunds is three years. A person entitled to a $50 refund would have to fill out forms a dozen times to get the three years’ worth of refunds permitted under tax law.
Collecting records and preparing the form would take about seven hours!!!! Thanks GW?
If you weren’t aware of the refund, take a look at how the top ten taxed States add to your bill:
| 1. | New York | 21.70% |
| 2. | Florida | 21.60% |
| 3. | Washington | 21.52% |
| 4. | Illinois | 21.05% |
| 5 | Nebraska | 20.61% |
| 6. | Texas | 19.67% |
| 7. | Rhode Island | 19.55% |
| 8. | Pennsylvania | 19.05% |
| 9. | California | 18.66% |
| 10. | District of Columbia | 18.05% |
For more info go to the CTIA Stop Adding to my Bill site.
…and so it goes.
