By virtue of the actions or antics of the ladies and gentlemen of The State Legislature, the cities of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, does the presence of Philadelphia surprise anyone, are authorized/allowed to collect a 1% city sales tax on telephone services, basic telephone services excluded, which means that they can tax long distance and special programs like Sensible Minutes.
Fair enough, or so one might think, residents of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh will be nicked for this City Sales Tax, it's a cost of living within the boundaries of those two towns. One would think that people who do not reside within the boundaries of either Philadelphia or Pittsburgh would be "excused". According to Verizon, not so, as their billing shows an amount, possibly amounts (2 at least), for this city sales tax. Granted, the amounts charged on individual bills are not significant, but as the late United States Senator from Illinois, Everete Dirksen once observed, "...pretty soon you are talking serious money", which might well be the case looking at the number of customers, people not resident in either Philadelphia or Pittsburgh who are found on Verizon's billing.
So dear readers, I suggest that you look at your phone bill, if you are a Verizon subscriber. There used to be a category called Local Taxes on Verizon bills, however since September 2006, it has been called City Sales Tax. Other phone providers might still describe it as Local Taxes, check your bill and call your provider to find out.
Surprisingly, the Public Utilities Commission has evoked signifcant interest in the above mentioned antics, Verizons charging NON RESIDENTS OF PITTSBURGH this city sales tax. I would not be at all surprised to find out that they, Verizon as well as other telephone service providers were improperly charging city sales tax to thousands of others, who while they might reside close to Pittsburgh and or Philadelphia, are not resident in either city.
Interestingly, the mayor's office in Pittsburgh claims that Pittsburgh sees no money from the collection, improper or otherwise, of this city Sales Tax, which obviously raises question concerning exactly where the money might end up. This is another question that might be addressed to the PUC, with whom I have already had some conversation and correaspondence. I would think, re the subject of contact with the PUC, the more the better. What do readers think?
Fair enough, or so one might think, residents of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh will be nicked for this City Sales Tax, it's a cost of living within the boundaries of those two towns. One would think that people who do not reside within the boundaries of either Philadelphia or Pittsburgh would be "excused". According to Verizon, not so, as their billing shows an amount, possibly amounts (2 at least), for this city sales tax. Granted, the amounts charged on individual bills are not significant, but as the late United States Senator from Illinois, Everete Dirksen once observed, "...pretty soon you are talking serious money", which might well be the case looking at the number of customers, people not resident in either Philadelphia or Pittsburgh who are found on Verizon's billing.
So dear readers, I suggest that you look at your phone bill, if you are a Verizon subscriber. There used to be a category called Local Taxes on Verizon bills, however since September 2006, it has been called City Sales Tax. Other phone providers might still describe it as Local Taxes, check your bill and call your provider to find out.
Surprisingly, the Public Utilities Commission has evoked signifcant interest in the above mentioned antics, Verizons charging NON RESIDENTS OF PITTSBURGH this city sales tax. I would not be at all surprised to find out that they, Verizon as well as other telephone service providers were improperly charging city sales tax to thousands of others, who while they might reside close to Pittsburgh and or Philadelphia, are not resident in either city.
Interestingly, the mayor's office in Pittsburgh claims that Pittsburgh sees no money from the collection, improper or otherwise, of this city Sales Tax, which obviously raises question concerning exactly where the money might end up. This is another question that might be addressed to the PUC, with whom I have already had some conversation and correaspondence. I would think, re the subject of contact with the PUC, the more the better. What do readers think?