California Considers Plan to Tax Text Messages

Megalith

Megalith

24-bit/48kHz
Staff member
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
13,000
The California Public Utilities Commission may vote to approve taxing text messages next month as a means of collecting additional funding for “public telecommunications programs like the 911 service and subsidized phone rates for low-income Californians.” They estimate the tax would cost consumers an additional $1.40 per $20 of texting charges. Critics say the state already has enough cash.

“Taxing texts isn’t just regressive, it’s also unnecessary. The state is flush with cash, while ordinary Californians are struggling. The idea of increasing taxes on anything right now is absurd,” state Assembly member Marie Waldron, a Republican from north of San Diego, said. The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, a trade organization whose members include companies like AT&T, T-Mobile USA and Comcast, the parent company of NBCUniversal, told NBC News they oppose the measure, as well.
 
christ the king enough.... i'm already getting beat in the head with a soda tax on top of sales tax, and a 3 Tabaco taxes plus sales tax, if this succeeds in CA other states will copy...
 
Great thinking california, its not like there's any other alternatives to sms that people might try.
 
Isn't this an infringement on a person's 1st Amendment rights? Does this unfairly penalize individuals that cannot speak on the phone due to various disabilities and need to text in order to communicate with others via phone? It is a damn shame that such a beautiful state with such an amazing diversity of biomes is driving millions of individuals from its borders because their government's poor stewardship. https://money.cnn.com/2016/11/04/pf/people-moving-out-california/index.html
 
So they want to make a tax on a service that you already pay for with your contract, which is ALREADY taxed. What do you expect from a country which fought a revolution against being taxed, and then to run their fledging United States, needed to levy taxes.
 
I think this is influence ooooozing out of Solvang CA, cuz only Danes can be that stupid ( im a Dane so i can say that )
 
Kaitian said:
"the state already has enough cash." They need to fund their $150B+ train to nowhere.
Click to expand...

Nope, they're funding their 50 year old retired government employees with 90+% pay, yearly guaranteed cost of living increases, and full medical benefits.
 
Wonder if it's on the texts sent or received? If the latter or both, I'm going to text the shit out of everyone that I know in California. :oops:
 
I am just going to have to giggle a bit and move on. Someone, in another thread, challenged me on what there is not to like in CA. Hehe.
 
I love California, the weather, some of the eccentricity, the novelty, the better-than-you attitude like NYC, the attractive women, and the beauty. The opportunities are wonderful too. The worst aspect of California is how mental illness isn’t only accepted, it’s preferred.
 
Tsumi said:
Nope, they're funding their 50 year old retired government employees with 90+% pay, yearly guaranteed cost of living increases, and full medical benefits.
Click to expand...
time to implement some austerity measures for those good for nothing baby boomers and their pensions. Heheheh
 
At this point CA should just be honest and say "It's not your money, it's ours [the government], and you should be happy with whatever portion we allow you to have. We know better how to run your life, after all."
 
  • Like
Reactions: risc
like this
TangledThornz said:
When California falls in the ocean they can tax the sea life next.
Click to expand...
so i know this is a tangent.... but i have never understood why anyone thinks that california could actually fall off into the ocean.
i know a lot of people use it for a joke... but there are people that seriously believe it to be possible.
 
ithaqua_1969 said:
So they want to make a tax on a service that you already pay for with your contract, which is ALREADY taxed. What do you expect from a country which fought a revolution against being taxed, and then to run their fledging United States, needed to levy taxes.
Click to expand...

um... this is a single state in the country, not the entire country.
also- california did not exist during the revolutionary times and it wasnt even part of the US until 1850.

the rest of the lunacy you have pointed out, is spot on however lol
 
Ultima99 said:
I wonder if this will drive anyone out of the state...
Click to expand...
directly? probably not.
but it will absolutely be a situation of "here is my 6ft tall pile of reasons why i should leave... here is my single post it note on why i should stay"
 
harbingerofdoom said:
um... this is a single state in the country, not the entire country.
also- california did not exist during the revolutionary times and it wasnt even part of the US until 1850.

the rest of the lunacy you have pointed out, is spot on however lol
Click to expand...

Meh, the Revolutionary War was a classic example of the rich manipulating the ignorant into fighting a war for the gain of the rich. Just have to look past the idealized 4th grade teachings.
 
Wishful thinking, but if this ever happens... Would it not make messages longer and more meaningful? If mean if you're going to be taxed per message, at least make them worth it. The amount of text shorthand spilling over into everyday life is niggling to me. (just one's opinion, not saying it's an epidemic or anything...)
 
What about those who have unlimited plans?

On the other hand this is just another example of why I would never live in CA. Next up a tax on every 20 breaths you take! Gotta pay to clean that air somehow!
 
med1kl said:
I love California, the weather, some of the eccentricity, the novelty, the better-than-you attitude like NYC, the attractive women, and the beauty. The opportunities are wonderful too. The worst aspect of California is how mental illness isn’t only accepted, it’s preferred.
Click to expand...


I love the weather, but there is little else to love any more.

I will agree with your comment on the worse aspect, "mental illness isn’t only accepted, it’s preferred", as I see way to much of it in recent years.
 
Actually they can't legally do this because states are not allowed to tax data services. (they can tax phone services and that's why there are so many taxes on your phone)
However, I'm sure they will pass it anyways. I just hope someone sues them over it in federal court and the state gets slapped down.
 
Crosshairs said:
If it weren't for the weather, I don't think anyone would voluntarily live there ....
Click to expand...

it's getting to that point but even the weather isn't reason enough to stay anymore.. i mean hell my parents absolutely hate the snow and cold weather and yet they're willing to move up here where i live to get out of california. mind you they're both die hard democrats and they even feel the states gone too far with all the taxes without any proof that the money is going to the things they claim they are suppose to be used for which is their primary reason for getting out of there.

Jelly said:
Wishful thinking, but if this ever happens... Would it not make messages longer and more meaningful? If mean if you're going to be taxed per message, at least make them worth it. The amount of text shorthand spilling over into everyday life is niggling to me. (just one's opinion, not saying it's an epidemic or anything...)
Click to expand...

no because people would just switch to messenger services like google message, facebook messenger, etc, etc..
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jelly
like this
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top