From: Michael S. Lorrey (retroman@turbont.net)
Date: Fri May 26 2000 - 15:18:52 MDT
In what must be a shocking change in standard government behavior, a federal tax
has actually been repealed, as described in this excerpt from a weekly
newsletter email to me from Rep. Charlie Bass (R-NH):
Eliminating the Spanish-American War Telephone Tax
The House voted this week, with my support, to eliminate the federal
telephone tax paid by every New Hampshire resident with a phone. The
federal excise tax on your phone bill was first enacted in 1898 to finance
the Spanish-American War. The war ended that same year, but the telephone
tax has endured several attempts over the years to phase it out or scale it
back.
What was a luxury tax 100 years ago has become a regressive burden
on one of the fastest growing sectors of our economy and hits every family
in this country with a telephone including a dedicated Internet telephone
line. The Phone Tax Repeal Act (H.R. 3916) would repeal the three percent
tax, which would encourage growth in the advanced communications sectors and
give all Americans a break on their phone bills.
<end excerpt>
Can you beleive it folks? Its certainly good to see more positive things
happening in the Dirty Capital. However, Chuck didn't mention one minor detail
of the repeal: its gonna take TWO YEARS for it to stop showing up on your phone
bills...(obviously long enough for everyone to safely get re-elected)
Mike Lorrey
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