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States Can't Tax Broadband For 7 Years
Bill should be passed before November deadline...
The Internet Tax Freedom Act of 1997 restricted states from taxing all Internet access (from dial-up to DSL), with the exception of nine states who were "grandfathered" and allowed to continue taxing access. Renewed in 2003 for the span of four years, the law was set to expire next month. There had been a debate in Congress over whether to make it permanent, but that debate has ended with the extension of the ban for another seven years.
quote:
The Senate's bill was modified before the vote to include a section that says states can't tax "home page electronic mail and instant messaging (including voice--and video--capable electronic mail and instant messaging), video clips, and personal electronic storage capacity, that are provided independently or not packaged with Internet access."
The ban does not prohibit states from taxing IPTV or other "voice, audio or video programming" that cost consumers a monthly fee. For those playing along at home, the nine states that are still allowed to tax Internet access are Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin.
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SunnyFL8
Premium Member
join:2001-02-08

SunnyFL8

Premium Member

Great at least for 7 Years

But I still see Broadband prices going up.

At least they can't use taxes as an excuse.

After 7 years I hope they make it permanent.
tpac_man
join:2007-02-27
Riverbank, CA

tpac_man

Member

Re: Great at least for 7 Years

yeah I'm tired of paying taxes for bunch of B.S.

Pashune
Caps stifle innovation
Premium Member
join:2006-04-14
Gautier, MS

Pashune to SunnyFL8

Premium Member

to SunnyFL8
Sorry if I'm slow to catch on things, but why?

Nezmo
The name's Bond. James Bond.
MVM
join:2004-11-10
Coppell, TX

Nezmo

MVM

Re: Great at least for 7 Years

said by Pashune:

Sorry if I'm slow to catch on things, but why?
Yeah, really.
SunnyFL8
Premium Member
join:2001-02-08

SunnyFL8 to Pashune

Premium Member

to Pashune
said by Pashune:

Sorry if I'm slow to catch on things, but why?
Who are you responding to? And what don't you understand?

Pashune
Caps stifle innovation
Premium Member
join:2006-04-14
Gautier, MS

Pashune

Premium Member

Re: Great at least for 7 Years

said by SunnyFL8:

said by Pashune:

Sorry if I'm slow to catch on things, but why?
Who are you responding to? And what don't you understand?
You're saying you want broadband taxes to become permanent..or no taxing, permanent?

Sorry about the confusion...
SunnyFL8
Premium Member
join:2001-02-08

SunnyFL8

Premium Member

Re: Great at least for 7 Years

said by Pashune:

said by SunnyFL8:

said by Pashune:

Sorry if I'm slow to catch on things, but why?
Who are you responding to? And what don't you understand?
You're saying you want broadband taxes to become permanent..or no taxing, permanent?

Sorry about the confusion...
Oh yes that's what I was saying. No problem. I am not sure it you understood why I said that or not. I don't like taxes on everything. I think the Internet should be a safe haven for tax free merchandise.

I think the future is on the internet. I hope it stays tax free.

Just my thoughts.

All you need is some greedy politicians trying to add taxes for some stupid project that really doesn't benefit anyone.

If it helps the poor then I am all for it.

Hope I clarified my thoughts.

My thoughts should not be considered as scientific data or as fact just my opinion. Whether flawed or not.

Pashune
Caps stifle innovation
Premium Member
join:2006-04-14
Gautier, MS

Pashune

Premium Member

Re: Great at least for 7 Years

said by SunnyFL8:

I don't like taxes on everything. I think the Internet should be a safe haven for tax free merchandise.
Likewise.

GlobalMind
Domino Dude, POWER Systems Guy
Premium Member
join:2001-10-29
Indianapolis, IN

GlobalMind

Premium Member

Great...

Setting a calendar reminder to renew this debate again in roughly 7 years.

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102

Premium Member

Who Sold Us Out?

Who are the pro-tax Commies who insisted this ban be temporary?

footballdude
Premium Member
join:2002-08-13
Imperial, MO

footballdude

Premium Member

Re: Who Sold Us Out?

said by pnh102:

Who are the pro-tax Commies who insisted this ban be temporary?
Most likely a bunch of politicians that just couldn't swear off the money forever. Like an alcoholic who says "I won't drink today." He can't make himself say "I'll never take another drink."

Politicians say "Well, we can do without this revenue for now....."
LostInWoods
join:2004-04-14

LostInWoods to pnh102

Member

to pnh102
It's the states that want the tax money, not the feds.

I don't understand what business the Federal government has telling the states they can't tax internet service the same way they do telephone or cable. There's nothing inherently interstate about internet service any more than phone service.
axus
join:2001-06-18
Washington, DC

axus

Member

Re: Who Sold Us Out?

Your statement is misleading: "There's nothing inherently interstate about internet service any more than phone service.". Long distance phone service is extremely interstate... just like the internet. Local phone service is usually not interstate, but the internet is.

Phone service is taxed somewhat, but that's because the fed did not prevent its taxation. Just because they do not prevent taxation of one, doesn't mean they cannot prevent taxation of another.

I like the idea that laws come up for renewal after a while. It's slightly disingenuous to make laws with expiration dates; because the law can be changed at any time, this 7 year ban could be un-voted next year.. same as a permanent ban could. Once the internet is ubiquitous, taxing it will not be a huge burden. I still don't want it taxed then, but higher priorities might come up.
ross7
join:2000-08-16

ross7

Member

Re: Who Sold Us Out?

said by axus:

...Once the internet is ubiquitous, taxing it will not be a huge burden. I still don't want it taxed then, but higher priorities might come up.
Yeah, like paying off the costs of expanding and maintaining the empire. Last time around they taxed us for the costs of war for over a hundred years (in total) starting in 1898:

"In late April 1898, Congress passed a resolution declaring that a state of war had existed since April 21, 1898, between the United States and Spain. Although the Spanish-American War was short, its financing needs resulted in a federal budget deficit. In the landmark case of Pollock v. Farmers' Loan and Trust Co. the Supreme Court had nullified the income tax of 1894. Many in Congress felt that tariff increases could create too much disturbance with industry. As a result, the leaders in Congress felt that the revenues required for military expenditures either should come from increases in existing domestic taxes or supplements of new taxes of the same type. Thus, an excise tax on telephone service was introduced for the first time in 1898.?

The tax has been repealed and reinstated many times over the years, ending lastly in July, 2006.

See here
moonpuppy (banned)
join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD

moonpuppy (banned) to pnh102

Member

to pnh102
Can't wait to see what happens in our state house this year.

PoorLibs
@nextweb.net

PoorLibs

Anon

Hearts are breaking across the nation

Especially in Sacramento, CA where they're always looking for another buck to steal from Joe Taxpayer.
66466388 (banned)
join:2006-11-22

66466388 (banned)

Member

explain

what the hell would they have been taxing anyway i dont understand?

personal internet access ? am i not paying for that?
because its communications? do i pay for radio?
because its over phone lines? am i not paying for that already?

... mmm. its politics... does logic apply?

inteller
Sociopaths always win.
join:2003-12-08
Tulsa, OK

inteller

Member

thug states:

Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin

hurfy
Premium Member
join:2002-08-06
Spokane, WA

hurfy

Premium Member

Re: thug states:

But Washington doesn't tax internet access....only the DSL line that provides it :/

$28-66.00 for the line is taxed
$9.99 for the access is still taxfree

big deal

Oh well, i guess this is like reading about Fiber that we'll never see here in my lifetime at the current rate

At least someone finally mentioned the grandfathered states.

toby
Troy Mcclure
join:2001-11-13
Seattle, WA

toby

Member

Re: thug states:

I don't have a tax on my DSL service, just the taxes on the phone line section.
bluedyedvd
join:2007-04-15
Overland Park, KS

bluedyedvd

Member

this is not a done deal yet

the house and senate passed different versions so they have to go through a conference committee and that where most bills die and it has to be signed into law by tuesday.