Internet Service Tax Moritorium Set To Expire

nelsonjs writes "On November 1, the ban on taxing Internet service is set to expire. The ban was originally implemented in 1998 in order to encourage the proliferation of Net access. The Senate is considering two competing bills to extend the ban: one would extend it for four years and the other would make the ban permanent. Verizon and Google, usually to be found on opposite sides of any question of Net access, are united in lobbying for the permanent tax ban. If neither passes by November 1, prices for Internet service nationwide could jump by as much as 17 percent, according to ISPs."

Comments

This comes up periodically...

[Algorithmnast]

The politicians are unlikely to make the ban (on the tax) permanent - each time the ban is about to expire, they get to look good to their constituents without actually doing anything.

So it'll get extended... again... and then in N years we'll hear another net-centric story propagated by a media wanting our avid attention for politicians who want our unconditional vote.

Move Along.... nothing to really see here...

Re:Why?

[morgan_greywolf]

You already pay tax on your Internet connection if:

• You use a dislup, DSL, ISDN or FiOS connection, you are paying into the Universal Service Fund, plus federal, state and local tax on the phone line
• Your ISP has a business presence in your state (state sales tax)
  
• You use a cable connection, you are you paying federal, state, and local tax on cable.
• You use a mobile broadband network, you are paying federal, state and local tax on cellular service
• 
  
  
  That's pretty much everybody. I didn't include satellite only because I've never had a satellite connection, and therefore I am unfamiliar with whether there are taxes included on that bill.
  
  Why on earth would you want to pay more tax?