Oregon proposes local cell phone tax

A proposed tax for Oregon municipalities to collect a 5 percent cell phone tax has been introduced earlier this year, reports the NY Times.

"The tax on Oregon residents would increase a typical cell phone bill by about $2.50 a month. Wireless operators would keep a small percentage, about 3 percent of the overall pool of money, to pay for the costs of collecting the tax.

The legislation is generating controversy because it's the first to give municipalities cell phone taxing authority.

Already, about 17 percent of a typical U.S. cell phone bill covers state taxes and federal fees--an increase of 3 percentage points more than in 2003.

Major cell phone lobbyists have launched a campaign opposing a proposed law."

emily | 7:59 AM | News, Buzz |
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