Oct 16, 2007 10:15 pm US/Central
County Proposes $4 On Cell Phones, Other Devices
Tax Could Quickly Add Up To Big Bucks For Local Families
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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A proposed Cook County monthly fee on telecommunications could quickly add up to a substantial annual tax increase for many families.
CBS
The Cook County Board has a new tax idea: a $4 fee every month on cell phones and other telecommunications devices. As CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports, the tax would be a very expensive jolt to some families.
Stan Rosenberg and his family use a number of wireless and other telecommunications devices.
A count in their home revealed at least 10. At $4 a month for each one, the cost of a proposed new Cook County tax for the wired clan would be nearly $500 a year.
"I don't understand why it's necessary," said Patti McNamee-Rosenberg. "They should be able to come up with another way."
"It's upsetting," Stan Rosenberg said. "I hope it doesn't go through."
One estimate is that tax increases under study would cost a typical family $240 each year for their telecommunications devices. Combine that with an extra $50 on their electric bill and another $60 for natural gas, and that's a total of $350 more in taxes annually.
"All this together is really creating a situation that's intolerable," said Republican Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica.
The Citizens Utility Board is complaining that the proposed tax increases on electric bills and natural gas bills in Cook County would wipe out all of the rate relief recently granted by Com Ed.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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