I'll Tax Your Feet

Looking over my cell phone bill today...

 

 

And I realize that nobody likes to look at their cell phone bill, but check this out!  I lived in Mobile, AL, when I got this account, and my cell phone area code is still 251--didn't feel the need to change it, since it's been my number for over a year now, but, I live in Minneapolis, and so, apparently must pay taxes in both Alabama and Minnesota.

 

I want you to take a good long look at this list of taxes, pasted directly from my cell bill, and tell me what you think...

 

 

Alabama State-911 Tax - $0.70

Alabama State-Utility Tax - $0.92

Minnesota State-911 Tax - $1.50

Minnesota State-Sales Tax - $6.65

Minnesota State-Telecom Access Fund - $0.12

Hennepin County-Sales Tax - $0.38

Minneapolis City-Sales Tax - $0.47

 

Grand and Groovy Taxy Total - $10.74

 

 

Ahem.

 

 

Yeah...

 

 

I will add that, I'm not a "no-tax" activist of any kind, and, having lived in both Alabama and Minnesota, I do prefer Minnesota.  The schools are DRAMATICALLY better here (Minnesotans, picture your kid in an all-day study hall, and see how you feel about that...that was our experience in Alabama public schools), and though Mobile was a lovely city and the infrastructure (roads, etc.) appeared excellent, I'm ultimately more at-home here than I was there.

 

My experience (or rather, what I heard) was that Alabama politics was rather notoriously corrupted--I suppose they didn't think they could get away with being corrupt AND charging high taxes...

 

But...just look at that list!  What the hell?  I'm just one person--imagine everybody in the state paying that, every month, just for their stupid cell phones!  Makes you awfully pissy about driving over pot-holes, paying through the nose for student field trips (we paid NOTHING in Alabama--the kids didn't learn anything, but the field trips were fabulous...), crazy choir directors, and a host of other things that make you wonder what you're paying for, which is the REAL list we all ought to be paying attention to. 

 

 

I believe that I shall keep my Alabama phone number for as long as I possibly can--changing it only saves me a buck and a half a month anyway.  Wait...what if there is a "You Have A Minnesota Phone Number Now, Bitch!" tax?  Better stick with the 251.  Besides, I want to keep looking at that list...makes you think.