A California regulator’s plan to tax texts in order to fund cellphones for the poor hit a snag Wednesday after a Federal Communications Commission ruled text messages aren’t subject to the utility agency’s authority.
The decision by the FCC, which categorized text messages as “information services” on par with emails and not “telecommunications services,” came in an effort to combat robo-texts and spam messages. The California Public Utilities Commission now faces an uphill battle ahead of a scheduled vote on the measure next month.
Those opposed to the planned tax hailed the FCC decision a victory.
“We hope that the CPUC recognizes that taxing text messages is bad for consumers,” Jamie Hastings, senior vice president of external and state affairs for CTIA, which represents the U.S. wireless communications industry, told The Mercury News. “Taxing this service would burden those who rely on and use this service each and every day.”
The CPUC has not yet commented on the FCC’s decision. The group is scheduled to meet next on Jan. 10 in San Francisco. …
Nice try, douchebags…
Next up, taxing the air you breathe….
On deck, an exit tax for everyone moving out of state…
Why TH these people get elected is beyond me….I didn’t vote for any of ’em…
Wha’t’s the CPUC doing in the tax business? I thought only the legislature (2/3 majority) and the tax payers could raise taxes.
Wait until the political cabal wants an electronic postage stamp on all your
individual Emails. The internet has almost driven the postal letters out of
business, they now exist through parcel post and have never made a profit even after continued price increases. Politicians are forever scanning the horizon for things to tax.