Posted by swampeastmissouri on Sun, Apr 10, 2011, at 8:44 AM:
Missouri lawmakers have proposed a .75 cent cell phone tax which would allow cities and counties to add the .75 cent cell phone tax to help fund the 911 system. No tax increase should be enacted at this time not under these tough economic times. Everyone must realize that for now we have to work with what we got until times improve.
Replies (14)
That is a lot of money.
-- Posted by We Regret To Inform U on Sun, Apr 10, 2011, at 9:42 AM
Is it .75 cents or 75 cents?
-- Posted by dgparham on Sun, Apr 10, 2011, at 10:35 AM
Stomp on this before it grows and multiplies!
-- Posted by voyager on Sun, Apr 10, 2011, at 10:36 AM
75-cents. You guys are to be proof readers at the paper.
-- Posted by swampeastmissouri on Sun, Apr 10, 2011, at 11:41 AM
If you want someone to answer your 911 call and for that person to have the equipment and training to dispatch the needed personnel and equipment to you then a way to pay for it has to be found.
The cell phone tax is the most appropriate way for that to happen. Many people have discontinued their landline phone to their homes.
No one likes taxes but there is an old saying you get what you pay for.
-- Posted by Ray James on Sun, Apr 10, 2011, at 8:57 PM
Well Ray James, when the 911 system was first voted in out in areas of SWMO the landline tax generated several times the (minus the install/equipment) operating costs. The County applied the surpluses to fund EMT services and staff PD clerical positions. Now that landlines are declining these services are crying for more money.
One EMT tech has some really horror stories of abuse (indigent transport to medical appointments, etc.)of the system.
it's provisions are ambiguous at best. You'll have to forgive a lot us for being skeptical that a new source of public cash will be ripe for mismanagement.
It's not that government will do what is good for the public only that government will do what is good for government first.
-- Posted by mntvernon on Sun, Apr 10, 2011, at 10:27 PM
Nil, That makes sense to me.
-- Posted by Old John on Sun, Apr 10, 2011, at 11:46 PM
Ray James: It seems every time we turn around we have some local, State government or a Public School District hitting us with a proposed tax increase on something. Just go back ten years and look at all of the sales tax, bond issues that have been passed not counting the State and Federal fuel tax you know the pennies, nickels, and dimes add up. Just add it up you might be surprised to see what you are paying additionally over and above your Federal and State taxes. I know we have to pay taxes but man it is starting to pinch my old pocket book especially on the local level with all of these taxes and bond issues that have been passed.
-- Posted by swampeastmissouri on Mon, Apr 11, 2011, at 5:26 AM
Here is what I suggest.
Drop the land line tax in half, and propose the same amount to cell phones.
That way, people who have both are not really getting hit twice, they hare just spreading the same cost between two phones. The county won't appear to be double dipping.
Cell phone users and land line users will pay the same amount.
-- Posted by lumbrgfktr on Tue, Apr 12, 2011, at 10:05 AM
At one time, there was talk of having a sunset provision in all new taxes. This would allow funding of necessary services but allow voters the opportunity to evaluate and reconsider decisions in the future. Does anyone know what became of this sunset clause?
-- Posted by Robert* on Tue, Apr 12, 2011, at 1:37 PM
Hmmm, still wondering how this would be worked out with the pay-as-you-go plans, where the service is allocated in minutes and the cost-per-minute depends on how much one buys?
-- Posted by fxpwt on Sat, Apr 16, 2011, at 9:00 PM
Where there is a will there is a way when it comes to taxes.
-- Posted by Old John on Sat, Apr 16, 2011, at 10:53 PM
Unfortunately, the liberals did an end run around the conservatives several years ago. They found they were making little or no progress pushing for higher taxes.
By changing the discussion to 'investing' in children and social issues they persuaded enough Republicans to vote with them for increased spending by including pork for their districts. By increasing the debt, they now feel they can change the discussion from whether we should raise taxes to who should pay the increased taxes. Liberals are often shrewd politicians; I will give them that.
-- Posted by Robert* on Sun, Apr 17, 2011, at 8:10 AM
So what! Stop using the phone so much and texting and getting on the net..........
-- Posted by vietnamvet on Fri, Apr 22, 2011, at 7:06 AM
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Missouri lawmakers have proposed a .75 cent cell phone tax which would allow cities and counties to add the .75 cent cell phone tax to help fund the 911 system. No tax increase should be enacted at this time not under these tough economic times. Everyone must realize that for now we have to work with what we got until times improve.
Replies (14)