State and Local Taxes are more than double!

[Totoro]

I just received my latest bill. It was exactly the same as last month, except that local and state taxes were more than double the previous bill. Did I miss something? I know Massachusetts sales tax increased from 5 percent to 6.5 percent, but it didn't go to 13 percent.

My bill was $27.02 of which $3.07 were counted as taxes.

 

[wolfjc]

I just received my latest bill. It was exactly the same as last month, except that local and state taxes were more than double the previous bill. Did I miss something? I know Massachusetts sales tax increased from 5 percent to 6.5 percent, but it didn't go to 13 percent.

My bill was $27.02 of which $3.07 were counted as taxes.

Well you have to pay for Ted's funeral some how.

 

[harshness]

Are there multiple taxes now?

 

[wkomorow]

Mine was 8.15 for a $135 bill - about 6.25%. It could be that there are city taxes if you live in Boston or Cambridge.

 

[riffjim4069]

In my opinion Satellite should not pay state/local taxes because, unlike cable/telcos, their spectrum is licensed throught the FCC and they use no public rights-of-way. Conversely, the DBS community should be taxed for delivering video on demand (VOD) and other video content via the Internet because they a) are a pay TV service and b) use public rights-of-way to deliver their subscription content. While DBS certainly shouldn't require to obtain a Cable TV franchise in the areas they serve, they should be taxed for delivering video via IPTV...and so should Netflix, etc.

 

[tedb3rd]

New taxes? Ha! "Baby, you ain't seen nothin' yet."

Mass. has been one of the more liberal states so you should expect higher taxes... Got to pay for those wonderful roads you have there.

There has been some debate about local/state taxes for satellite. Satellite companies and customers are, of course, opposed. Cable operators, cable users, and the government like it. There are more of them than there are of you so--you lose.

 

[dishcomm]

In my opinion Satellite should not pay state/local taxes because, unlike cable/telcos, their spectrum is licensed throught the FCC and they use no public rights-of-way. Conversely, the DBS community should be taxed for delivering video on demand (VOD) and other video content via the Internet because they a) are a pay TV service and b) use public rights-of-way to deliver their subscription content. While DBS certainly shouldn't require to obtain a Cable TV franchise in the areas they serve, they should be taxed for delivering video via IPTV...and so should Netflix, etc.

The cable lobby has been able to ceoerce or cajole state legislatres into taxing satellite TV. Thi swas based on a perceived unfair advantage satellitre had over cable tc. Unklike most cable companies, satellite pays no franchise fees.
So cable lbbyists have been able to convince various states to tax satellite tv reception.
Florida calls theirs an "entertainment tax".

 

[Laddyboy]

Florida calls theirs an "entertainment tax".

Of about 13 1/2 percent as I recall. I'm not even going to bother to change my service address this year to FL when I go down. I'll lose the locals but save quite a few bucks and I can get all the locals OTA anyway.

 

[KKlare]

Is it possible they were behind in collecting the new rate? If so, Dish may be "making up" for the missed taxes, just as they double up the first bill to pay for current and next month's billing at the beginning of "next" month.
-Ken