If Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker has his way, county residents could soon see a painful 50% increase in the county tax on their monthly wireless services.
County Executive Baker’s proposed budget for Prince George’s County includes a 50% increase in the county’s Telecommunications Tax. Specifically this proposed increase from 8% to 12% would result in families potentially paying up to a whopping $360 per year in wireless taxes. This tax increase not only applies to wireless bills – it also hikes taxes on your home phone service whether provided by your phone company or your cable company.
Wireless consumers in Prince George’s County already pay more than their fair share of state, federal and local taxes, including:
- 8% Prince George’s county tax (which would increase to 12%)
- 6% state sales tax
- $0.25 monthly state 911 tax
- $0.75 monthly County 911 tax
- 5.82% federal USF charge
This burden is already too high. Unfortunately, if the tax increase proposal passes, Prince George’s County residents will be faced with a jaw-dropping combined wireless tax and fee burden of 26%, which is the second highest wireless tax rate of any jurisdiction in the country. Only Chicago would be higher.
What’s more, this new wireless rate would be nearly four and a half times higher than the 6% sales tax rate! The already high tax rates on wireless services are particularly harmful for families and small businesses who view their wireless service as essential in the modern, connected world. This is especially true for individuals in lower income households who rely more on their wireless device as their sole means of communication and Internet access. Why place an even greater burden on those who need their wireless service the most?
Back in 2008, Prince George’s County voters overwhelmingly rejected a similar wireless tax increase proposal by a 71% to 29% margin. The message is clear: Prince George’s County residents do NOT want a wireless tax increase.
Contact the Prince George’s County Executive and County Council members today and tell them to say NO to a wireless tax increase!
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