# Which states have satellite tax? NJ? NY?



## foxfan (Feb 5, 2006)

Does anyone have a list of which states do/don't have sales tax on satellite service?

Does New Jersey or New York have it?


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## floridaguy (Dec 1, 2004)

I believe Florida has the highest at 13.17% - many states do not have any. The satellite providers do not come out and tell you this, they always say "plus local taxes"; I told a friend to expect the 13.17% and he asked D* about it -when he mentioned the exact percentage, they did acknowledge it was correct. However, if you don't know that going in, you can get surprised. 

I'm sure others can tell you more about other states.


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## ansky (Oct 11, 2005)

Here in NJ I never had a tax charge on my bill until last month. On my January statement I noticed a tax charge of about $4.


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## newsposter (Nov 13, 2003)

PA has always taxed everything at 6 ..lucky us. Just called sales tax like every other thing we buy


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## foxfan (Feb 5, 2006)

Ansky, what is the new Jersey tax rate in terms of percent?

What about New York?


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## rspetti (May 29, 2002)

foxfan said:


> Ansky, what is the new Jersey tax rate in terms of percent?
> 
> What about New York?


Yep, we are taxed in New York too. It appears to be a flat rate because my bill has varied the past several months, but the tax has remained 20 cents everytime.


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## ansky (Oct 11, 2005)

foxfan said:


> Ansky, what is the new Jersey tax rate in terms of percent?
> 
> What about New York?


Based on my calculations it's in the ballpark of about 6%. I just find it odd that I was not charged tax up until last month.
I don't know about NY.


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## DCSholtis (Aug 7, 2002)

Ohio has one too, btw


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## quickfire (Nov 14, 2003)

Tennessee...9.8%


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## quickfire (Nov 14, 2003)

BUT NO STATE TAX!!!!!!which is GOOD


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## Mr. Furious (Feb 9, 2006)

newsposter said:


> PA has always taxed everything at 6 ..lucky us. Just called sales tax like every other thing we buy


I didn't realize how good I had it with sales tax in PA until I moved to NC. There's no sales tax in PA on clothing, grocery food, paper products, or baby needs. In NC there's sales tax on _everything_. It's only 2% on grocery food, but 7% on pretty much everything else. It was 6%, until they passed the "temporary" (wink wink) increase a few years ago.

On topic, surprisingly enough, there is no tax on services like cable/satelite TV or telephone service. I'm sure there will be soon enough.


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## ansky (Oct 11, 2005)

Now that I look closer at my statement it just says "Sales Tax." I don't know if that's a NJ state tax or federal tax.


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## bidger (Nov 19, 2005)

rspetti said:


> Yep, we are taxed in New York too.


You're in an area where DirecTV serves locals. I'm in DMA #173, unserved so I don't pay taxes.


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## midnight75 (Jun 25, 2004)

My state charges 5.25% for gross revenue (whatever that is!!!!) & 6% sales tax.


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## Crystal Pepsi Ball (Jun 29, 2004)

Utah and Texas have 6.25%


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

rspetti said:


> Yep, we are taxed in New York too. It appears to be a flat rate because my bill has varied the past several months, but the tax has remained 20 cents everytime.


The tax charged is for DVR service or the extended service plan. New York state DOES NOT charge a tax on satellite programming, period. The state tax is 4%, 4% of $4.99 is .1996. That's were your 20 cents comes into play and why it never changes.



> You're in an area where DirecTV serves locals. I'm in DMA #173, unserved so I don't pay taxes.


Having locals on the birds or not has no barring on tax, why would you think it would?


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## chaddux (Oct 10, 2004)

Crystal Pepsi Ball said:


> Texas have 6.25%


No. Texas does NOT have a satellite tax. A satellite tax is a tax charged only on satellite-provided service. That is the SALES tax for Texas which is charged as part of your TV bill as it would for anything else. However, it is NOT a satellite tax. Texas recently tried to pass a satellite tax but it didn't happen.


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

The original question in the thread was 

"Does anyone have a list of which states do/don't have sales tax on satellite service?"

Many states do not charge sales tax on satellite TV. I see no reason why Texas' tax does not qualify.


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## newsposter (Nov 13, 2003)

Mr. Furious said:


> I didn't realize how good I had it with sales tax in PA until I moved to NC. There's no sales tax in PA on clothing, grocery food, paper products, or baby needs. .


we take that for granted until we visit all the unfriendly states that charge us to buy groceries!!  dont worry, they are thinking about expanding the tax to everything including DR visits so we can ditch real estate taxes. Doubt it will happen though.


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## jdspencer (Nov 8, 2003)

I don't get locals here in the boondocks of NY. My bill shows tax on what I believe is the DVR fee part of my bill of $.20. That's the 4% NY state part on the $4.99. Which will soon increase to $5.99. No local sales tax is charged.


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## spanishannouncetable (Apr 23, 2002)

Mr. Furious said:


> I didn't realize how good I had it with sales tax in PA until I moved to NC. There's no sales tax in PA on clothing, grocery food, paper products, or baby needs. In NC there's sales tax on _everything_. It's only 2% on grocery food, but 7% on pretty much everything else. It was 6%, until they passed the "temporary" (wink wink) increase a few years ago.
> 
> On topic, surprisingly enough, there is no tax on services like cable/satelite TV or telephone service. I'm sure there will be soon enough.


Check your bill again. NC does have a satellite TV tax. It's called a "sales tax" on your bill but cable TV in NC does not have this tax.


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## chaddux (Oct 10, 2004)

Geronimo said:


> The original question in the thread was
> 
> "Does anyone have a list of which states do/don't have sales tax on satellite service?"
> 
> Many states do not charge sales tax on satellite TV. I see no reason why Texas' tax does not qualify.


There is a difference between sales tax and satellite tax. Texas charges sales tax but no separate satellite tax. Some states have one or the other. Some have both. Texas could have a sales tax AND a satellite tax. However, the 6.25% is the standard sales tax rate for everything in the state, not satellite tax. The thread title is "which states have SATELLITE tax."

The reason some states charge sales tax on satellite service and some don't is due to the way the laws in those states classify what services are charged sales tax. Some states charge sales tax on the entire bill, some only on programming services, some only on non-programming services (lease fees, etc), and so on. Besides, I don't think Texas charges sales tax on the entire bill, only on certain portions. Since the thread title says "satellite tax," I was simply clarifying the difference.

Besides, Geronimo, your argument would mean that since sales tax is charged on car repair, then the fee could be called a car repair tax. Since sales tax is charged on food, it's a food tax. Since sales tax is charged on toilet paper, it's a toilet paper tax. Just because sales tax is charged on satellite service does NOT mean it is considered a "satellite tax." A satellite tax is a specific tax ONLY on satellite-provided service. Otherwise, it's just a general tax.


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

Yes there isa e. But he asked about states with a sales tax on satellite. Just look at what he said. I never said it is CALLED a satellite ntax and neither did the poster you corrected. 

Chill out. It is Valentine's Day.


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## chaddux (Oct 10, 2004)

Geronimo said:


> Yes there isa e. But he asked about states with a sales tax on satellite. Just look at what he said. I never said it is CALLED a satellite ntax and neither did the poster you corrected.
> 
> Chill out. It is Valentine's Day.


I don't know what "there isa e" means but the thread title asks for states with a satellite tax. If the OP wasn't referring to satellite tax, he shouldn't have titled it that way.

And don't tell me to chill out. I'm not wound up.


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## BobMurdoch (Apr 24, 2002)

I live in NJ and I have a MASSIVE tax charge on my bill....


12 cents.

Using my handy dandy calculator, that is 6% of $1.99. As the only item on my bill worth $1.99 is my Extended Warranty (I'm grandfathered under the old rate), the tax boys must have told them that that is the only taxable item for now.

I'm REAL happy with that as my monthly bill is more than $200..... Gonna hit $240 this month thanks to Extra Innings.....


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## msmith (Apr 23, 2002)

I don't believe that NJ has a tax on the service itself .... yet.

They are considering it as part of the "bail out the reckless spending of the past" budget.


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

msmith said:


> I don't believe that NJ has a tax on the service itself .... yet.
> 
> They are considering it as part of the "bail out the reckless spending of the past" budget.


Lots of states are considering it. Many are looking at Virginia---and BTW the "sweeping" reform in Va---that would basically apply the 5% sales tax to all telecom does not seem to have passed yet. I believe that yesterday was the last day for bills from one house to be considered in the other but I have read nothing definitive about this.

I guess that all we can do is what the original poster did---ask the question as to what states apply some kind of tax and see what comes back. I did read that only 21 states tax satellite now but I do not have a list of which 21 or how they do it.

A good idea for a topic though. As you can see there are lots of states with different tax treatments for this.


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## damondlt (Feb 27, 2006)

newsposter said:


> PA has always taxed everything at 6 ..lucky us. Just called sales tax like every other thing we buy


Thats Pa SALES TAX,,,, NOT SATELLITE TAX. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.SATELLITE TAX WILL BE ON TOP OF YOUR SALES TAX IF IT PASSES.As of now there is no satellite tax in PA!!


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## cobra2225 (Feb 4, 2006)

hum.. glad you brought this up,ky doesn't have sat.tax but dtv is charging
$1.38 program tax and $.18 dvr tax, guess i need to get on the phone with dtv


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

The Virginia state senate has just passed a bill (earlier passed by the House of Delegates) that would extend taxes to satellite service.

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137834450588&path=!business&s=1045855934855


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

damondlt said:


> Thats Pa SALES TAX,,,, NOT SATELLITE TAX. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.SATELLITE TAX WILL BE ON TOP OF YOUR SALES TAX IF IT PASSES.As of now there is no satellite tax in PA!!


that is pretty much what he said. That it is the sales tax. Most states do not even charge a sales tax on satellite. And the original question was " lDoes anyone know what states do and do not have a sales tax on satellite service?"


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

I thought that Kentucky started taxing satellite service (or some parts of it) last year and that DISH and DTV were fighting it.

http://www.stopsatellitetax.com/legal/050505a.shtml

it is my understanding that Kentucky did it by making at least part of the satellite bill subject to a Gross Utilities Receipts tax. That shows how many ways a state can impose a tax on satellite service without calling it that.


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## damondlt (Feb 27, 2006)

Geronimo said:


> that is pretty much what he said. That it is the sales tax. Most states do not even charge a sales tax on satellite. And the original question was " lDoes anyone know what states do and do not have a sales tax on satellite service?"


AGAIN!!!! SALES TAX !! NOT SATELLITE TAX!! Everything you buy in the state of PA, except FOOD AND CLOTHES.IS 6% TAXED. If you buy a car,tv, Directv receiver, Electric bill, Phone bill ,CABLE, and SATELLITE. It has nothing to do with Sateillite tv, and PA Government.I don't know how Things work in your state but in PA Entertainment is TAXED. I'm sure when Satellite Tax is passed It will say on you bill SATELLITE TAX.


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

We get it diamond. It is just that the real issue is what states tax satellite service. The OP even asked SPECIFICALLY about SALES TAX. Most states don't tax it but many do---including yours---and probably mine shortly---but no it won't say satellite tax since it applies to all telecommunications.


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## OceanaJones (Feb 16, 2005)

Yes, Geronimo is right. The Tax and spend politicians in Virginia are taxing everything they can think of this year. The cable company lobbyist spent more money (bribes) than the satellite companies and convinced the tax and spenders (which didn't take much effort) that the Sat's were getting an unfair advantage. When it comes to politics, regular constituents are always the losers. Even the republican politicians jumped on the "tax" bandwagon. This is just a example of Democrat Gov Tim ("there's a better way") Kain's plan for Virginia.


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

Kaine has nothing to do with this. It started before his time by Repubvlican legislators and he (unlike his opponent in the last election has not endorsed the plan. At this point I assume he WILL sign it.


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## NVBlue (Aug 4, 2005)

If NOT they will soon. Those states tax you blind.


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## kenglish (Oct 2, 2004)

No tax on Free OTA TV in any state  .


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## Fl_Gulfer (Apr 28, 2005)

We pay 13% here is Florida for Cable or Satellite, But it sure is nice getting a paycheck with no state tax taken out.


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## newsposter (Nov 13, 2003)

kenglish said:


> No tax on Free OTA TV in any state  .


well here in PA we need tvs to watch ota and they tack on 6 percent there but thankfully it's only 1x


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

Kind of hard to put a sales tax on something that is free. But I suspect that some would favor one.


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## matty8199 (Dec 4, 2005)

BobMurdoch said:


> I live in NJ and I have a MASSIVE tax charge on my bill....
> 
> 12 cents.
> 
> ...


Holy crap, what programming do you have that your monthly bill is more than $200 (if you don't mind me asking)?


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## BobMurdoch (Apr 24, 2002)

HD Platinum, MultiSports, playboy, Superstations, a bunch of Distant Nets, Extacy, Extended Warranty, 5 receivers active (no PVR fees, though). I had TV5 and Radio France but just dropped them due to the extra HD channels......

I'm actually up to $240 for the next three months due to Extra Innings....


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## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

BobMurdoch said:


> HD Platinum, MultiSports, playboy, Superstations, a bunch of Distant Nets, Extacy, Extended Warranty, 5 receivers active (no PVR fees, though). I had TV5 and Radio France but just dropped them due to the extra HD channels......
> 
> I'm actually up to $240 for the next three months due to Extra Innings....


More power to ya! Thats a third of my Social Security check for one month.


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## KMB2 (Mar 13, 2006)

No tax on my D* bill. 
However I do pay $10,700. property tax for a 1600 square foot home on a third of an acre.


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## Kheldar (Sep 5, 2004)

ansky said:


> Now that I look closer at my statement it just says "Sales Tax." I don't know if that's a NJ state tax or federal tax.


There is no "federal tax" that applies to satellite TV bills.
The only taxes you may see would be state or local.


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

The Viriginia telecommunications Tax is now law and is discussed heree.

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=56318


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