Maine Phone Tax Survey Summary

Large Majority of Mainers Oppose Increasing MUSF & Support Capping MUSF

Summary

This bipartisan survey of likely voters in Maine clearly illustrates that Mainers are very sensitive to increasing taxes or fees on their monthly phone bills. By a 3 to 1 ratio (69% to 23%), more than two-thirds oppose increasing Maine’s Universal Service Fund fee on monthly bills for traditional home phone, cable home phone and wireless phone services. In fact, 72% support capping Maine’s Universal Service Fund fee to stop it from being increased. Regardless of party registration, there is majority opposition across the board to increasing Maine’s Universal Service Fund fee and wide majority support to cap it.

• By 3 to 1 ratio (69% to 23%), more than two-thirds oppose increasing Maine’s USF fee on monthly bills for traditional home phone, cable home phone and wireless phone services. The opposition is both wide and deep. Half (50%) “strongly” opposes the proposal. The majority of Democrats (60% to 32%), Republicans (82% to 15%) and Independents (67% to 21%) oppose increasing Maine’s USF fee.
• By greater than a 3 to 1 ratio, 72% support capping Maine’s USF fee to stop it from being increased. Only 20% oppose the cap proposal. The support for capping Maine’s USF fee has intensity with roughly half (48%) “strongly” supporting it. More than two-thirds of Democrats (69% to 24%), Republicans (74% to 20%) and Independents (74% to 18%) support capping Maine’s USF fee.
• In general, the majority (62%) believes consumers in Maine pay too much in taxes and fees on their monthly bills for their traditional home phone, cable home phone or wireless phone services. Combined, 87% believe Mainers pay either too much (62%) or the right amount (25%) in taxes and fees. Only 2% think consumers in Maine don’t pay enough.
• By greater than a 6 to 1 ratio (79% to 12%), more than three-quarters don’t think customers who use wireless phones or cable home phones should pay a fee on their monthly bills that pays for other companies to provide traditional home phone service.
• By more than a 2 to 1 ratio (61% to 27%), the majority believes customers in densely populated areas where the cost to provide phone service is lower should not pay a monthly fee to pay for the phone service of customers in sparsely populated areas where the cost to provide service is higher.
• The majority (55%) says things in the state of Maine have gotten off track. One-third (34%) thinks things are going in the right direction.

Methodology

McLaughlin & Associates partnered with Penn Schoen Berland to develop and conduct a bipartisan survey of 400 likely voters in the state of Maine. The survey was conducted on June 10, 2013. All interviews were conducted by professional interviewers via telephone. Interview selection was at random within predetermined geographic units. These units were structured to statistically correlate with actual voter turnout in a statewide general election. The accuracy of the sample of 400 likely voters is within +/- 4.9% at a 95% confidence interval. The survey results in this summary have been rounded and the wording for each question is verbatim from the questionnaire.

Survey Results

Generally speaking, would you say things in the state of Maine are going in the right direction, or have they gotten off track?

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In your opinion, do you believe consumers in Maine pay too much, about the right amount or not enough in taxes and fees on their monthly bills for their traditional home phone, cable home phone or cell phone services?

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Currently, you pay a state Universal Service Fund monthly fee of one-point-two percent on each phone bill you get whether it’s for your traditional home phone, cable home phone or cell phone services. The state Universal Service Fund subsidizes certain landline phone companies to provide traditional home phone service to customers in sparsely populated areas of the state. Knowing this, would you support or oppose increasing Maine’s Universal Service Fund fee on monthly bills for traditional home phone, cable home phone and cell phone services?

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Would you support or oppose capping Maine’s Universal Service Fund fee on monthly bills for traditional home phone, cable home phone and cell phone services to stop the fee from being increased?

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Do you think customers who use cell phones or cable home phones should pay a fee on their monthly bills that pays for other companies to provide traditional home phone service?

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Do you think customers in densely populated areas where the cost to provide phone service is lower should pay a monthly fee to pay for the phone service of customers in sparsely populated areas where the cost to provide service is higher?

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With which political party are you registered?

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What is your main racial background?

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What is your age?

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What is your gender?

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