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Published Friday, June 24, 2011 in Local
75-cent charge added to pre-paid wireless phone purchases for 911
The Newnan Times-Herald
Starting Jan. 1, 2012, there will be a 75-cent charge added to all purchases of pre-paid wireless phones and phone minutes purchased in the state of Georgia, to fund 911 services.
The charge will be an add-on and collected at the point of sale.
In 2008, state legislation was passed allowing 911 fees to be charged on wireless phones, said Coweta County Administrator Theron Gay at Tuesday's meeting of the Coweta County Board of Commissioners.
A good bit of money was collected. "The problem was the dollars went to the state and remained at the state. They actually were not used for 911 services," Gay said.
Newly-passed legislation creates the add-on fee. If local governments pass an ordinance imposing the charge, they will get the money from the phones and phone minutes based on the population of each "public safety answering point." The money will not be distributed based on point of sale.
"If you guys choose not to do that, the fees are still collected, they'll simply remain with the state of Georgia," Gay said.
"I think I'll make a motion," said Commissioner Tim Lassetter. The motion was approved 4-0.
The 911 call center has been completely funded by the fees charged on phone services.
In the past several years, "we have seen a decline in our 911 fees," Gay said. For a while, many people had a landline phone and a wireless phone. But lately, "a lot of people are dropping their land lines," Gay said.
It's estimated prepaid phone services make up about 20 percent of the total wireless phone market.
The board also approved a resolution renewing the wire line, wireless, and voice-over IP fees for 911.
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The question is not "why should cell phones be exempt" Why should cell phones be taxed at all? If you name an object or service a politician will attempt to tax it. Why should I be taxed for every thing I own except for the fact we buy our property ,real or personal, and then rent it back from the power that be?
Posted by Disgusted at 6:53 PM
So if I understand this correctly; as a small lowly svc tracfone pensioner, I will pay the same 75c than the fella with a smart phone, who only buys airtime once a month, wheras I might top up twice, with the accumilated amount spent by me not even reaching half of the smart phone fella spends.....where did they suck this 75c from?? Surely it should be based on a percentage if anything.
Posted by Ern at 12:38 AM
A 911 tax is added to landlines, too. Why should cellphones be exempt? Either charge all or none.
Posted by Coweta Native at 9:01 PM
Hmm. Do you think people consider that land lines are taxed but cell phones aren't when they decide to drop land lines ? Tax something and citizens consume less of it.
Posted by DB at 8:07 PM
I sure im glad to be a republican in this state and in this county.
The party of very Low Taxes
I would like to get my homestead exemption back along with not alowing this tax to go through.
In this county if the Republicans are increasing or starting a tax it must be ,It just has to be a needed tax otherwise they wouldnt ask for it....
Yeh right!!
Posted by Ken at 6:50 PM
The 911 fee is used to FUND 911 SERVICES. Something that could save your life. All taxes are not created equal.
Posted by Audrey at 6:07 PM
maybe it has reached the point that we need a cell phone party and throw those in charge overboard. Soon they will figure out how to tax the air we breath.
Posted by Disgusted at 1:58 PM
here another tax to get revenue all these people do is sit around and figure out how to get every nickel they can outta you. now i know i'm getting a gov.phone.
Posted by tim at 12:10 PM
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Tax to death
3/3/2012
Link To This Comment
Just another way to get taxes, were does the money go i'm already paying now state,federal,sales,you name it were taxed to death for good politics reelect no one!!!
Posted by David Mashburn at 9:23 PM