# Court rules Fed excise tax on cell calls illegal. Taxpayers due 9 billion in refunds!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/court-rules-fed-excise-tax-on-cell-calls-illegal-taxpayers-due-9-billion-in-refunds/340265>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [January 16, 2006, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/court-rules-fed-excise-tax-on-cell-calls-illegal-taxpayers-due-9-billion-in-refunds/340265 "2006-01-16T21:09:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/court-rules-fed-excise-tax-on-cell-calls-illegal-taxpayers-due-9-billion-in-refunds/340265/21 "2006-01-18T18:09:02Z")

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So, how do we collect?

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**Author:** ![jakeline](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@jakeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jakeline)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/court-rules-fed-excise-tax-on-cell-calls-illegal-taxpayers-due-9-billion-in-refunds/340265/22 "2006-01-18T18:43:39Z")

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> [@Otto](#):
>
> I thought the cost of freedom was $2.99 for the first minute and $1.99 for each additional minute.

Plus the 3% federal excise tax, of course.

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**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/court-rules-fed-excise-tax-on-cell-calls-illegal-taxpayers-due-9-billion-in-refunds/340265/23 "2006-01-18T20:27:40Z")

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> [@ParentalAdvisory](#):
>
> So, how do we collect?

Ha ha ha ha ha.

No, seriously. Good one.

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**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/court-rules-fed-excise-tax-on-cell-calls-illegal-taxpayers-due-9-billion-in-refunds/340265/24 "2006-01-18T20:42:30Z")

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> [@Otto](#):
>
> You know those wily Spaniards, always up to some damn sneaky thing!

**NO ONE expects the Spanish Inquisition!**

Oh come on, you knew someone was gonna do it eventually

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**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/court-rules-fed-excise-tax-on-cell-calls-illegal-taxpayers-due-9-billion-in-refunds/340265/25 "2006-01-18T20:45:56Z")

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> [@iamthewalrus(:3=](#):
>
> Ha ha ha ha ha.
> 
> No, seriously. Good one.

What about going forward. It’s a $1.07 (I could buy freedom and have 2 cents left over with that) on my current bill. Maybe I can send Cingular the link and tell them to kindly remove the charge from my bill. That should work…

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**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/court-rules-fed-excise-tax-on-cell-calls-illegal-taxpayers-due-9-billion-in-refunds/340265/26 "2006-01-18T21:05:52Z")

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> [@ParentalAdvisory](#):
>
> So, how do we collect?

We don’t.

> [@first link in OP](#):
>
> The Bush administration has not decided whether to appeal the rulings, and in the meantime, the government can continue collecting the tax.

There’s a War on Terrah to be funded.

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