Dear Members of the Florida Legislature:
On behalf of National Taxpayers Union’s (NTU’s) members across Florida, I strongly encourage you to support SB 110, a measure that would cut the state’s Communications Services Tax (CST) by 3.6 percentage points or approximately $470 million annually. For consumers who spend an average of $100 a month on these services, this could mean real savings of $43 per year. CST reductions are also among the various elements contained in a House package, HB 7141.
With one of the highest communications taxes in the country, Floridians deserve any help they can get. Though the Florida House of Representatives voted by an overwhelming margin (112-3) to enact the CST cut, the Senate did not approve the measure before the legislative session abruptly ended amid an impasse over Medicaid expansion and the state’s budget. Thankfully, the Legislature has the opportunity to provide real relief to hardworking Florida families by passing the CST cut during the Special Session, which convenes on June 1.
A reduction in the CST would be a boon for Florida’s families and businesses. By making the telecommunications industry more competitive, such a policy would in turn attract even greater investment and jobs to the Sunshine State. Accordingly, NTU urges swift enactment of CST relief.
Sincerely,
Clark Packard
Policy and Government Affairs Manager