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Recently two organizations recognized my efforts to reduce taxes on wireless services.
State Senator Robert C. Wonderling Steve Largent, president and CEO of CTIA - The Wireless Association, presented me with a signed football imprinted with the text "Sack the cell phone tax." An NFL player with the Seattle Seahawks for 14 years and a member of the NFL Hall of Fame, Largent is well known for setting numerous receiving records during his pro football career. Largent was in Harrisburg to lead a rally in the Capitol rotunda drawing statewide attention to the "double tax" Pennsylvanians are paying on their wireless bills, making Pennsylvania the eighth-highest-ranked state in terms of taxes and fees on wireless service. "Pennsylvanians already paid state and local taxes averaging 6.5 percent on their wireless service and, because of new legislation passed last December, wireless service is subject to an additional gross receipts tax of 5 percent," said Largent. "In essence, this amounts to a double tax for wireless consumers. We appreciate Senator Wonderling's support of SB1156 to repeal that excessive taxation, benefiting Pennsylvania businesses and consumers." Pennsylvania holds the distinction of being the state that has imposed the largest increase in wireless taxes during the past few years. As a result, most people in the state have seen taxes on their wireless service nearly double. Also on hand was Jim Broussard, chairman of Citizens Against Higher Taxes. Broussard presented the Senator with a certificate in honor of his co-sponsorship of SB1156. "As our name indicates, we are a citizens' group opposed to excessive taxation," Broussard said. "We very much appreciate the vigilant efforts being made by Senator Wonderling on behalf of all Pennsylvanians to reduce their tax burden. It's just not fair to make Pennsylvanians pay two taxes on the same service. This tax hits Pennsylvania consumers hard. "At a time when we want to encourage the expanded use of wireless services to make our businesses more competitive, it simply makes no sense to impose higher taxes that are discouraging their use and discouraging more investment by telecommunications firms." Largent and Broussard advised consumers to look closely at their wireless bills to identify the added charges they are paying due to the new gross receipts tax. They asked for people's help in voicing their support for having the new tax repealed. Information about the double tax on wireless services, including data comparing wireless taxes in various states, is available to the public at: www.stopaddingtomybill.com. CapNews Guest Speaker: Archives |
