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What with all the "big" and "breaking" news happening today, here's one small item that likely won't get much notice. But it can be considered a victory for the American taxpayer. The Treasury Department is killing the "sin tax" that appears on our phone bills and was the the subject of a Fleecing of America with correspondent Fred Francis (produced by yours truly) back in 1998. The purpose of the tax -- to pay for the Spanish American War. That's right... the "Remember the Maine" and Teddy Roosevelt and the Roughriders war. But now the Treasury Department says it will no longer collect the telephone tax on long-distance calls and it's going to refund about $15 billion to consumers.
The tax dates back to 1898, when telephones were seen as a luxury and lawmakers needed a quick tax to help pay for the Spanish-American War. The war ended, we won, but the tax stuck around for another 108 years. According to current plans, individual taxpayers can claim three years worth of refunds on next year's tax return.
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Thursday at post time
I was glad to hear the telephone "sin" tax from 1898 has finally been eliminated. Wonder how the refunds will come? What if you no longer have a long distance carrier?
HL Risinger, Sacramento, CA (Sent May 25, 2006 3:20:41 PM)
You have just underlined one of the ways governments at all levels have exploited the taxpayers: by leaving outdated taxes on the books for the express purpose of obtaining cash and maintaining a cache or largesse for other reasons. I used to work for a city which incorporated an annual volunteer recognition dinner, once used and then forgotten. But the volunteer account remained on city books and collections continued for something not used any longer. Simply put, this was an account intended to secret away cash for later purposes as volunteer recognitions were never used again. Thanks for relieving us of this accounting fakery by reporting it! Imagine how much cash could be returned if all accounts were so examined!
Dave from Newberg (Sent May 25, 2006 12:27:15 PM)
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