A proposed Portland cell phone tax has students raising their eyebrows.

Portland would not be the first city to impose a tax on wireless services, merely joining the growing list of cities that are trying to catch up to technology that moves faster than a college student late for finals.

Commissioner Randy Leonard proposed the 5-percent tax last August as a way to ease the tax burden on small businesses and to make up for the lost revenue as a result of taxes being reduced for sewer and water.

Last week Commissioner Dan Saltzman suggested the new tax be used to help public schools.

Saltzman’s reasoning for using the revenue generated by the tax for schools is that at the end of 2005 the Multnomah County personal income tax expires and schools will experience a loss of revenue.

This proposed new tax on revenues from cell phone service would affect many people in the Portland area, as it would be charged to anyone with a billing address in Portland.
Students at MHCC aren’t thrilled about the idea of having a more expensive cell phone bill, even if the money goes to support public schools.

Asked about the proposed cell phone tax, student Angel Robinson said the idea is “horrible.” Robinson said that students have a hard time with expenses.

“My bill is already high. Another tax would just make me want to not have a cell phone at all,” said Robinson.

If the tax went to public schools, Robinson said, “That’s a good idea, but they should come up with something else (to fund schools).”

Teri Loftin, who works in the Human Resources Department at Mt. Hood, cancelled her landline in favor of wireless services. She said it doesn’t matter whether the tax goes to schools as she will end up paying it either way.

Student Vasiliy Tkachev doesn’t have a cell phone, and said a new tax would make him less inclined to want one. He said his sister has a cell phone and her bill is already high.
People don’t have to worry about finding new charges on their bill just yet, as the City Council decided to not make any decisions until a public meeting is held in July.