Vallejo seeks to expand utility tax to cell phones

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 11/2/9 | Carolyn Jones

[SmithL]

Taxing text messages? Some Vallejo voters are saying OMG.

The North Bay city, with its ever-shrinking revenue stream, is asking voters Tuesday to expand its utility tax to include text messages, private phone networks, pagers and voice-over-Internet services.

It's an idea that's spreading around California, as more than 40 cities have similarly expanded their utility taxes at the ballot box as a way to raise money.

"We don't use our cell phones a lot, but we think this gives the city a blank check," said retired Mare Island shipyard worker John Kocourek of Vallejo, who's been working against the measure. "We just don't think it's fair."

Measure U would lower the utility tax from 7.5 percent to 7.3 percent of a resident's total bill, but would widen the services it covers, from gas, electricity, water and traditional land lines to modern telecommunications.

The tax gets complicated when it comes to things like text messages. Some consumers pay a flat rate, after all, while others pay by the text.

Vallejo, which filed for bankruptcy in 2008, is desperate for revenue.

[2banana]

Vallejo, which filed for bankruptcy in 2008, is desperate for revenue.

Even in bankruptcy - public union salaries benefits and Pensions hardly get touched. And that is where ALL the tax money is going.

[Vendome]

I think they desperately need to be annexed by Fairfield.

That’ll be fun to watch.

If you don’t want you cell phone taxed by these union reps order service in another area and then use it in Vallejo.

[Buckeye McFrog]

whoa....just go ahead and MAKE MY DAY!!

Nothing could fulfill my dream of turning every American under the age of 25 instantly into a Conservative like imposing a Text Message Tax!

[Vendome]

Vallejo, which filed for bankruptcy in 2008, is desperate for revenue. Its general fund has shriveled from $83 million to $65 million in less than two years. Property taxes continue to free-fall and public-employee salaries and benefits continue to climb.

 

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Just charge them for the air they breathe. All air rightly belongs to the government, anyway.

[RC2]

They would be better off raising the fine for texting while driving to $500. This would raise them a ton of money and at the same time get the point across that it is to dangerous. All they would have to do is enforce it.

[RobRoy]

>>They would be better off raising the fine for texting while driving to $500. This would raise them a ton of money and at the same time get the point across that it is to dangerous. All they would have to do is enforce it.<<

I think you are on to something there. It really is the only way they can do this without taking a popularity hit.

[RC2]

Well......$150 fine is nothing to those people. Slap a fine on them that is going to get their attention. As it stands now, the police can just about pull over anyone. If one of these texters would think about it, they could get in a setup wreck and loose everything they had in a lawsuit.

[gaijin]

I hope they do this..! The level of anger it will bring will be earth-shattering..!!!

KIDS WILL HATE THEM..! Who-hoo...!!

Vallejo is...20 min from Berkeley? Twitter away, folks, ahahahhahah...!!