The National Taxpayers Union (NTU) would like to congratulate South Carolina taxpayers on a well-earned victory. With the end of the normal legislative session, a proposal to subject cell phones to a new tax has died. If enacted, S.277 would have applied a tax to approximately 4.5 million wireless devices and diverted the revenue generated to permanently subsidize certain major telecommunications companies in the state.
In helping to defeat the proposal, thousands of outraged NTU activists in South Carolina contacted their legislators and were able to overcome intense corporate lobbying in support of the measure. This was truly a victory for Palmetto state residents.
Though S.277 is dead for the rest of the year, corporate interests will surely push a similar bill next legislative session. It is incumbent on taxpayers to remain vigilant to any possible tax increases on cell phones. Likewise, NTU urges all state lawmakers to resist pressure to raise taxes on cell phones next legislative session.