Congress is currently considering whether to extend and make permanent the temporary moratorium on Internet taxes, which will expire in November. The pick-pocketers at Dallas City Hall want nothing of it. The City's 30-page liberalism-laced "Legislative Program for the 109th Congress" declares, "the City of Dallas opposes any proposal to expand the moratorium on Internet access taxes or to make it permanent." It goes on to lament that this would prevent the City from bringing in $60 million in revenue from socking Dallas families with Internet access taxes.
Fortunately, a major
ity of Congress appears to be rejecting the calls by state and local governments to allow them to begin taxing what has been an engine of our economic growth, particularly when such taxes would almost certainly make it harder for low and middle income folks to afford broadband access. That's broadband access their kids could be using to do reserach for school assignments.
Texas is one of 9 states that had a statewide Internet tax (it's $2 a month here) prior to the temporary moratorium being passed so it was grandfathered. Congress is debating whether the new permanent moratorium should continue to grandfather of these states. We'd like to see the grandfathering provision eliminated and you should ask your member of Congress where they stand on it. Most importantly, this moratorium must be made permanent or your Internet bill will end up being as riddled with various taxes as your phone bill is today.
