PRESS CONTACT: Brian Johnston, (202) 736-2980

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 10, 2011) – With wireless consumers now paying on average more than 16% a month in taxes and fees on their cellphone bills, MyWireless.org® today applauded the introduction of bipartisan legislation that gives consumers a five-year break from new, discriminatory state and local wireless taxes and fees. The much-needed consumer relief legislation, entitled the ‘Wireless Tax Fairness Act,’ was re-introduced today in the U.S. Senate and in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bills were introduced by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), and Representatives Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Trent Franks (R-AZ), respectively.

The ‘Wireless Tax Fairness Act’ calls for a federal moratorium to be placed on all unfair, new state and local wireless taxes and fees for five years. In tough economic times for many Americans, Senators Wyden and Snowe, and Representatives Lofgren and Franks should be commended for taking common sense action on behalf of hundreds of millions of hard-working Americans, by seeking to provide much-needed tax relief. MyWireless.org urges the 112th Congress to follow their leadership on this issue.

Brian Johnston, Director of Advocacy for MyWireless.org said, “It’s outrageous that American wireless consumers are paying on average more than twice as much in taxes and fees on their wireless bills than they are in general sales tax. Right now 47 states and the District of Columbia levy wireless taxes on consumers that exceed the general sales tax rates they pay. It is blatantly unfair to put a target on the backs of wireless consumers and gouge them just to balance an overspent budget – that’s simply not the way wireless consumers should be treated. We should be encouraging their use of such a productive and useful technology that can do so much good for so many Americans, rather than punish them with excessive and discriminatory taxes and fees.”

Johnston continued, “Americans now face an annual national tax burden of approximately $21 billion dollars in combined monthly wireless taxes, fees and surcharges, just to communicate on their cellphones! The ‘Wireless Tax Fairness Act’ is an essential and necessary step toward standing up for wireless consumers and saying enough’s enough. If a state needs to raise taxes on its residents, it ought to be done in a fair and equitable manner.”

In the past six years, hundreds of thousands of wireless consumers all across the U.S. have helped protect their wireless service from excessive taxes and regulations by contacting their Representatives and Senators – both in Washington and in their states – through the MyWireless.org website. As consumers pay close attention to their monthly bills and set household budgets, they are becoming increasingly aware of the ever-spiraling monthly tax and fee burden paid to every level of government, and they are demanding action to protect how they communicate.

MyWireless.org will continue to mobilize consumers around the country to urge their policymakers in Washington, D.C. to pass the ‘Wireless Tax Fairness Act,’ introduced by Senators Wyden and Snowe, and Representatives Lofgren and Franks. Members of Congress are urged to follow their lead and co-sponsor this critically important and fair legislation today.

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MyWireless.org® is a nonpartisan non-profit national advocacy organization, made up of wireless consumers, businesses and community leaders from around the country, supporting reasonable pro-consumer and pro-taxpayer wireless policies.

New bi-partisan poll finds Nebraskans also strongly in favor of reform to ensure more fair taxation in state with nation’s highest wireless rate.

PRESS CONTACT: Brian Johnston, (202) 736-2980

LINCOLN, NE(February 3, 2011) Lincoln, NE – An overwhelming majority of Nebraskans support phasing out the disproportionate and discriminatory municipal ‘business & occupation’ taxes (B&O) levied on wireless and other telecommunication services, according to the results of a new bi-partisan statewide survey released today by national nonprofit consumer advocacy group MyWireless.org®. Legislation, LB 165, has been introduced by State Senator Deb Fischer (43) to freeze the current B&O tax rates, and slowly phase out the onerous tax over a six year period. That legislation will be heard by the Revenue Committee in the State Capitol on Friday, February 4.

Nebraskans currently face some of the highest monthly wireless tax and fee rates in the country – in some cities, customers pay in excess of 18% in state and local taxes and fees, and nearly 24% when federal taxes and fees are included. Senator Fischer’s proposal, if it became law, would cut taxes and fees on Nebraskans’ wireless bills by as much as 25%.

Of the 400 cellphone users and likely voters polled statewide, top findings include:

• An overwhelming majority of 76%(only 12% in opposition) support phasing out the municipal occupation tax on telecommunication services over a six-year period. The support is broad and intense – with a 54% majority “strongly” in support of phasing out the tax. The consensus for phasing out the municipal occupation tax is evident across all voter and consumer demographics.
• By greater than a 10 to 1 ratio (68% to 6%), two-thirds are more likely to vote for a candidate for state legislature who supports phasing out the municipal occupation tax, rather than a candidate who supports keeping it.
• After hearing the arguments from both sides of the debate, two-thirds (66%) believe Nebraska needs to phase out the municipal occupation tax, while only 18% are in opposition.
• About two-thirds (65%) believe consumers in Nebraska pay “too much” in taxes and fees on their monthly landline phone and wireless phone bills. One-quarter (24%) say consumers pay “about the right amount.” Only 1% thinks consumers “don’t pay enough,” and 11% did not know.
• Despite paying nearly 24%(in some urban Nebraska jurisdictions) in combined federal state and local fees, the survey results showed that if Nebraskan wireless consumers were more aware of just how much they actually pay in taxes each month, the demand for tax relief would likely grow even stronger in the state.
  • 34% of wireless consumers think they pay less than 10% in taxes and fees;
  • 54% think they pay less than 15% in taxes and fees;
  • 64% believe they pay less than 20% in taxes and fees;
  • Only 12% say they pay 20% or more in taxes and fees;
  • And lastly, 25% did not know how much they pay in taxes and fees.

“This new survey data clearly shows that Nebraska’s wireless consumers are tired of high and still spiraling monthly wireless tax and fee rates, particularly in tough economic times,” said Brian Johnston, Director of Advocacy for MyWireless.org®. “Wireless is the service of choice for more than 1.5 million Nebraskans to stay connected every day to family, friends, coworkers, and in case of emergency. And most Nebraskans believe they already pay “too much” in unfair monthly taxes and fees – the actual estimated annual wireless tax burden is $140 million – all just to communicate!” Johnston continued, “Nebraska’s consumers and voters want the State Senators in Lincoln to focus on this important economic issue for them and to pass LB 165, which would phase out the disproportionate and discriminatory municipal ‘business & occupation’ tax on their telecommunication services. This would save them an estimated $21 million per year by the end of the tax phase out.”

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MyWireless.org® is a nonpartisan non-profit national advocacy organization, made up of wireless consumers, businesses and community leaders from around the country, supporting reasonable pro-consumer and pro-taxpayer wireless policies.

New bi-partisan poll finds Nebraskans also strongly in favor of reform to ensure more fair taxation in state with nation’s highest wireless rate.

PRESS CONTACT: Brian Johnston, (202) 736-2980

LINCOLN, NE(February 3, 2011) Lincoln, NE – An overwhelming majority of Nebraskans support phasing out the disproportionate and discriminatory municipal ‘business & occupation’ taxes (B&O) levied on wireless and other telecommunication services, according to the results of a new bi-partisan statewide survey released today by national nonprofit consumer advocacy group MyWireless.org®. Legislation, LB 165, has been introduced by State Senator Deb Fischer (43) to freeze the current B&O tax rates, and slowly phase out the onerous tax over a six year period. That legislation will be heard by the Revenue Committee in the State Capitol on Friday, February 4.

Nebraskans currently face some of the highest monthly wireless tax and fee rates in the country – in some cities, customers pay in excess of 18% in state and local taxes and fees, and nearly 24% when federal taxes and fees are included. Senator Fischer’s proposal, if it became law, would cut taxes and fees on Nebraskans’ wireless bills by as much as 25%.

Of the 400 cellphone users and likely voters polled statewide, top findings include:

• An overwhelming majority of 76%(only 12% in opposition) support phasing out the municipal occupation tax on telecommunication services over a six-year period. The support is broad and intense – with a 54% majority “strongly” in support of phasing out the tax. The consensus for phasing out the municipal occupation tax is evident across all voter and consumer demographics.
• By greater than a 10 to 1 ratio (68% to 6%), two-thirds are more likely to vote for a candidate for state legislature who supports phasing out the municipal occupation tax, rather than a candidate who supports keeping it.
• After hearing the arguments from both sides of the debate, two-thirds (66%) believe Nebraska needs to phase out the municipal occupation tax, while only 18% are in opposition.
• About two-thirds (65%) believe consumers in Nebraska pay “too much” in taxes and fees on their monthly landline phone and wireless phone bills. One-quarter (24%) say consumers pay “about the right amount.” Only 1% thinks consumers “don’t pay enough,” and 11% did not know.
• Despite paying nearly 24%(in some urban Nebraska jurisdictions) in combined federal state and local fees, the survey results showed that if Nebraskan wireless consumers were more aware of just how much they actually pay in taxes each month, the demand for tax relief would likely grow even stronger in the state.
  • 34% of wireless consumers think they pay less than 10% in taxes and fees;
  • 54% think they pay less than 15% in taxes and fees;
  • 64% believe they pay less than 20% in taxes and fees;
  • Only 12% say they pay 20% or more in taxes and fees;
  • And lastly, 25% did not know how much they pay in taxes and fees.

“This new survey data clearly shows that Nebraska’s wireless consumers are tired of high and still spiraling monthly wireless tax and fee rates, particularly in tough economic times,” said Brian Johnston, Director of Advocacy for MyWireless.org®. “Wireless is the service of choice for more than 1.5 million Nebraskans to stay connected every day to family, friends, coworkers, and in case of emergency. And most Nebraskans believe they already pay “too much” in unfair monthly taxes and fees – the actual estimated annual wireless tax burden is $140 million – all just to communicate!” Johnston continued, “Nebraska’s consumers and voters want the State Senators in Lincoln to focus on this important economic issue for them and to pass LB 165, which would phase out the disproportionate and discriminatory municipal ‘business & occupation’ tax on their telecommunication services. This would save them an estimated $21 million per year by the end of the tax phase out.”

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MyWireless.org® is a nonpartisan non-profit national advocacy organization, made up of wireless consumers, businesses and community leaders from around the country, supporting reasonable pro-consumer and pro-taxpayer wireless policies.