WASHINGTON-A bill favored by CTIA that would have reduced telecom taxes in Virginia was killed by a state Senate committee last week but is expected to be resurrected in a year.
“We have decided to not move forward with the bill as is but rather turn it into a request for the state auditor to update his analysis of the collection of telecom taxes by locality,” Virginia Delegate Sam Nixon (R-Richmond) told RCR Wireless News. “We will absolutely bring this bill back next year.”
The bill was highlighted by CTIA earlier this year after Virginia Gov. Mark Warner (D), who made his fortune in the wireless industry, said it could be model legislation for the nation. Warner is chairman of the National Governors Association.
The Virginia bill would have imposed a flat 5-percent tax on telecom services and eliminated taxes imposed by localities. Because the bill would have imposed taxes on satellite TV and Voice over Internet Protocol calls, it was estimated to be revenue neutral.
