Interstate network traffic tax harms the telecommunications industry

The United States Supreme Court has ruled that interstate voice and data traffic can be taxed. The ruling is in regard to the Goldberg versus Sweet trial where Illinois imposed a five percent excise tax on such communications. Kenneth L. Phillips, chairman of legislative affairs for the Committee of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Computerworld 1989-04, Vol.23 (14), p.F14
Main Authors: Phillips, Kenneth L, Flug, James
Format: Magazinearticle
Language:English
Subjects:
Court Cases
Illinois
Legal Issues
Tax Law
Taxation
Telecommunication
Telecommunications
Telecommunications industry
Telecommunications services industry
United States. Supreme Court
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Summary:The United States Supreme Court has ruled that interstate voice and data traffic can be taxed. The ruling is in regard to the Goldberg versus Sweet trial where Illinois imposed a five percent excise tax on such communications. Kenneth L. Phillips, chairman of legislative affairs for the Committee of Corporate Telecommunications Users, claims the decision should not be considered a mandate to other states or even that the tax represents a sound policy. Taxing telecommunications, while legal, is neither logical nor productive. James Flug, a partner in the law firm of Lobel, Novins, Lamont and Flug and attorney in the Goldberg versus Sweet case, claims that the Supreme Court has made its intentions clear and that states should indeed levy taxes on telecommunications. The pros and cons of the decision are discussed in detail.
ISSN:0010-4841