California Wants To Tax Text Messages

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Question for those more tech inclined than I. Would this just turn into a tax on the poor and elderly who are more likely to use traditional texting because they don't have phones or data plans capable of third party messaging and aren't able to figure out the workarounds to avoid texting fees?

Who uses text anymore? I have WhatsApp, Line, Telegraph and Messenger.

[cancel2 2022]

So all those unknown taxes in OTHER STATES on your phone bills go for WHAT? I'm positive you and everyone else is already paying for them. In fact, didn't the free phone programs get their start during Reagan? I'm pretty damn sure they did.

Phone vs. text? A distinction without a difference. (Except one is 'quiet')

ADDENDUM: I remembered correctly.

Acting Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn forcefully defended her agency's phone subsidy program for the poor in a speech on Thursday. Conservative critics have claimed the FCC's Lifeline program is a wasteful government handout and referred to it as the "Obamaphone" program.

"Here’s the truth. The Lifeline program long predates the current administration," Clyburn said in the speech at the New America Foundation. "It was actually created during the Reagan administration, so let's give credit where credit is due. The Lifeline program is a legacy President Reagan could be proud of."
Congress first enacted the Lifeline program in 1985, and the FCC expanded the program to cover cellphone service in 2005 during the George W. Bush administration.

The program pays for phone service, not the phones themselves. But many companies that receive funding through the program offer free and low-cost phones to their subscribers.

What does Raw Sewage have to say on the matter?

[Mott the Hoople]

Question for those more tech inclined than I. Would this just turn into a tax on the poor and elderly who are more likely to use traditional texting because they don't have phones or data plans capable of third party messaging and aren't able to figure out the workarounds to avoid texting fees?

That's not how it would work Wacko. It's not a "per text msg" tax or a texting fee, but would be a tax added on to the cost of your text plan on your monthly bill. They're probably just aiming at low hanging fruit with taxing texting with the real goal of taxing data plans/usage. That would certainly make people in Cali howl.

This is really just Cali's way of saying...go away...don't move here! I have to agree with them. California aint worth for shit anyways without the Raiders.

[cawacko]

So all those unknown taxes in OTHER STATES on your phone bills go for WHAT? I'm positive you and everyone else is already paying for them. In fact, didn't the free phone programs get their start during Reagan? I'm pretty damn sure they did.

Phone vs. text? A distinction without a difference. (Except one is 'quiet')

ADDENDUM: I remembered correctly.

Acting Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn forcefully defended her agency's phone subsidy program for the poor in a speech on Thursday. Conservative critics have claimed the FCC's Lifeline program is a wasteful government handout and referred to it as the "Obamaphone" program.

"Here’s the truth. The Lifeline program long predates the current administration," Clyburn said in the speech at the New America Foundation. "It was actually created during the Reagan administration, so let's give credit where credit is due. The Lifeline program is a legacy President Reagan could be proud of."
Congress first enacted the Lifeline program in 1985, and the FCC expanded the program to cover cellphone service in 2005 during the George W. Bush administration.

The program pays for phone service, not the phones themselves. But many companies that receive funding through the program offer free and low-cost phones to their subscribers.

I have no idea what gets charges in other states. Nor do I understand your phone vs text reference or your Reagan reference. What does any of that have to do with what's being proposed in Cali?

[Mott the Hoople]

Nope.



My guess - a flat monthly fee, probably on the order of a few pennies.

Nope...my understanding is that the tax would be applied to the rate being charged by the carrier for the users texting plan. So if the if the texting plan cost $5/month then the tax would be something like 5% of that $5 texting plan.

[Centerleftfl]

Try walking in a store ... everyone's head is down and texting

Or reading? I can't tell as either way, 1 or both hands, are moving. But then I don't text. (Okay, I text about once a month).

[Bourbon]

Or reading? I can't tell as either way, 1 or both hands, are moving. But then I don't text. (Okay, I text about once a month).

I just shout LOOK UP

[Centerleftfl]

I have no idea what gets charges in other states. Nor do I understand your phone vs text reference or your Reagan reference. What does any of that have to do with what's being proposed in Cali?

CALIF, Reagan, Republican, "tax", cellphone/text service? No connection? Really?

[Centerleftfl]

I just shout LOOK UP

I actually grabbed a 'kid' by BOTH SHOULDERS a few months ago. He walked across from the gas pumps into the store, head down, and a car was within 12-14 inches from hitting from the behind. He never saw it. The car had hit the breaks, I turned him by the shoulders to make him look at the car and said, you damn near got hit. PAY ATTENTION!!

[Flash]

I wonder how they will decide who is eligible for the free phones?

[Centerleftfl]

Nope...my understanding is that the tax would be applied to the rate being charged by the carrier for the users texting plan. So if the if the texting plan cost $5/month then the tax would be something like 5% of that $5 texting plan.

What happens if you don't use the 'texting' part? As long as it's on the plan, it's taxed?

[cawacko]

CALIF, Reagan, Republican, "tax", cellphone/text service? No connection? Really?

No it doesn't. I don't think you even read the article about what's being proposed.

[Centerleftfl]

Who uses text anymore? I have WhatsApp, Line, Telegraph and Messenger.

Showoff. I've never even heard of those. (Yes, I'm admitting that!)

[Mott the Hoople]

What happens if you don't use the 'texting' part? As long as it's on the plan, it's taxed?

Yes. It's not a message fee/tax. It's a tax on the plan and they will probably go after data plans next if this succeeds.

[Centerleftfl]

f you drive a car, I'll tax the street,
If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat.
If you get too cold I'll tax the heat,
If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet.

Don't ask me what I want it for
If you don't want to pay some more
'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman
And you're working for no one but me.

If you are sitting in your house, car, classroom or even a toilet. Property taxes on your house you sit in, your furniture and even the toilet you sit on (and the water that flushes it). Taxes on oil, gas and electricity to HEAT so you can sit in your house so you don't freeze to death. Taxes on the car you are sitting in, gas and the road you are driving on. The classroom--all kinds of taxes for every seat in a classroom.

So really, what is your point? You better get a shack in the woods somewhere on PUBLIC LANDS and buy a bicycle (of course there will be a one time tax on the bike).

Ted Kazcynski was 'off the grid'. His 'shed'.




His bike. (He used it ride into town for supplies and to use the PUBLIC library--paid for by taxes)