Washington: Say 'no' to more utility taxes

The Washington State Legislature is again considering adding up to 6% on your utility bills. This includes water, sewer, power, gas, cable and telecom (including your wireless phone). HB 3179 will cost Washington citizens nearly half a billion dollars — no small sum. This bill creates an unnecessary burden on working families and small businesses by taxing your wireless service, something more and more families and businesses rely on.

We need you to contact your legislator today and demand that they vote NO on HB 3179 — or any other legislation that contains new taxes on your cell phone (or other utilities).

Remind them that:

• The vast majority of businesses and consumers in Washington rely on wireless for their communications needs. New taxes only increase the barriers to access for some consumers and discourage new investment for improvements in service for existing consumers.
• Wireless consumers currently pay more than double (15% nationally) the average tax rate for all consumer goods (6%).
• In Washington, we already pay the 2nd highest tax rate in the country for our wireless service (20.62%) — enough is enough.
• This tax hits everyone — this includes the 81% of the Washington consumers that carry a wireless device and all small businesses that use wireless devices (or any other utility). New taxes in our current economic environment (unemployment up to 9.5%) will inflict additional harm costing jobs and economic growth.

CLICK HERE to send a message to your legislator TODAY!
This bill is moving fast and they need to hear from you TODAY!