There’s a growing movement among lawmakers across the country. They are attempting to curry favor with voters by speaking out against Lifeline Assistance, the government program that provides free cell phones for needy citizens.
Here are just two recent examples of these misguided pronouncements from puffed up politicians:
John Syracuse, a legislator from Newfane, and Kathryn Lance, a lawmaker from North Tonawanda, want the United States Congress to repeal of what they call a “tax” – the Universal Service Fund that subsidizes home phones, cell phones and internet service. They contend that although it’s called a fee, it’s really a tax.
Syracuse and several other elected members of the Niagara County Legislature have called on their congressional representatives to help them end the program.
According to the Tonawanda News, “The government raises the fund by charging telecommunication providers a quarterly percentage of their revenues. The charge in the first quarter of 2012 is 17.9 percent, up from 15.3 percent in the last quarter of 2011. In turn, many companies charge their customers a Universal Connectivity Fee, a percentage assessment on long distance and service charges. As of Jan. 1, AT&T hiked its connectivity fee to 17.9 percent, the same as the feds’ fee on it.”
“These free phones are really a user tax on your phones,” Syracuse said. “… We’re calling on our (congressional) delegation to help find ways to improve broadband services to rural counties … and repeal this Universal Service tax.”
Next door in Cattaraugus County, lawmakers have asked Congress to repeal the Federal Communications Commission tax on cell phone users.
According to the Orlean Times Herald, Legislature Chairman Norman Marsh, who represents Little Valley, sponsored the resolution, which was immediately introduced in the Legislature.
“We’re paying for it,” Mr. Marsh succinctly summed up.
Lifeline Assistance, the program that raises the politicians ire, offers free government cell phones to anyone receiving state or federal assistance such as food stamps, housing aid, Medicaid, free school lunches, or to those whose household income is no more than 135% of federal poverty level. Those who are eligible can get a free cell phone plus up to 250 cell minutes of airtime each month.
We urge all FreeGovernmentCellPhone.net readers to contact their city, county, state and federal representatives to express their support for the Lifeline Assistance program. In today’s worrisome economy, more people are unemployed and underemployed and desperately need a way to reach prospective employers, a way to keep in touch with their children, a way to stay in touch with their medical providers and a way to reach out for help in case of emergencies.
Call your representatives today. Let them know that you support this valuable program.
Robert .D. Wyatt says
It’s time to end this program ! You can buy a cell phone for $20.00 and aid air time at $20.00 or more a month ! why should tax payers pay for your cell phone ? I wish they would let the tax payers Vote on this program !
Robert .D. Wyatt says
that should say add air time for $20.00 or more a month.
Chuckers says
You can actually get cellphone & data service for much cheaper than $20 a month and they are reliable. All are pre-paid plans. As a light user, I pay $9/mo as 500mb of data and 500 voice minutes are enough for me (text is unlimited for me). Most of the ones under $20/mo are T-mobile MVNOs but some are Verizon and AT&T. I would never recommend AT&T as they are severely limiting the phones they will accept anymore (they have a very strict whitelist). I’m on a T-mobile MVNO. For T-mobile, you have to make sure Tmobile has decent coverage in your area and that your phone is able to operate on bands
2 (1900 MHz),
4 (2100 MHz),
12 (700 MHz),
and at least one of the following bands…
5 (850 MHz),
66 (1700 Mhz) &
71 (600 MHz)
But IMHO bands 66 and 71 are must-haves.
Juan Ortez says
If he telecommunication companies want the program they should pay for it. Why should tax payers pay for this program. Remember when the phone companies monopolized the cost of land for years. Sham on them.
joseph blowe says
“Free” land lines will still be available.
Michael says
I am shocked to read some of the comments here. I had no idea that the medicare and social security taxes I paid in while employed is something given to me. I PAID in the taxes for the years I was able to work. I think that it is so easy to sit back and point fingers when you are not one of the disabled or poor. If the daddy fatbacks of this country paid their fair share of their taxes instead of finding a way to pay their homest way in life. I couldn’t believe the report of over 20 million millionaires collecting unemployment. Talk about wrong.
Ivette says
I agree with some of the comments here. Why the hard working people who are still lucky to have jobs are forced to support all these so called “programs” the government keeps on creating in order to spend money that they don’t have. If someone needs immediate medical help for an emergency for whatever condition then a life alert device works fine; low income elderly and disabled individuals are qualified for this benefit. What the rest of these people did before cell phones were free? They did manage to continue their life as usual now all of the sudden without the “free” cell phone is a matter of life and death. Free sounds much better for them than pay for what you can afford……….then they need a land line not a “tax payers” cell phone. On top of that a new report shows that criminals and drug dealers are part of this so called group holding more than a dozen of cell phones for their “low poverty” business. Unbelievable!!
kathy says
This is a tax and just another way of making the good decient tax payers keep on paying for the free loaders… People that are that bad off need a hard wire not a cell…
Evan says
I am a single father of two children. One of my two children is a special needs child. I was a sales manager for an engineering firm that manufactured parts for automobile manufacturers, until I was laid off in 2008. I worked very hard to find another job to support my children, to no avail. I did whatever I could to earn a dollar to support my family. Eventually my land line and cell phones were disconnected because I could no longer pay the bill. I had no way to communicate with specialists for my child’s care, their schools or employers. I had numerous resumes on the internet for employment but with no reliable way to be reached. After applying for and receiving a phone I updated my resumes. Within a few weeks I received a call for an interview and shortly thereafter began a job with one of the largest firms in the country and was employed again. I was eventually downsized again and again I used a phone to find another job. There are 13 million unemployed people in the United States. How do we expect people to dig themselves out of a hole if we do not lend them a shovel?
David says
I’ve been disabled for over 10 years & all that time I’ve had the Lifeline Credit on my home phone. All that has changed, is that we now have a choice to move this credit to a Cell Phone, which the company provides with 250 monthly minutes.
I not only have a physical disability, but a memory impairment as well. Without this phone by my side, I would truly feel “alone” & often unable to get help when I need it-not to mention getting in touch with my family if I need to!
Anyone griping about disabled or poor people who live on less than $1000 a MONTH, should find something more imortant to do. As well, any POLITICIAN who want to take away even MORE from the poor-yes this is just another version of the oh so many regressive taxes on the poor, should make themselves public, so that we can vote them OUT OF OFFICE!
Sarah says
It seems this is another way to attack the poor n
ot making enough to money to afford basic essentials others can. Look at the numbers of what under 135% of poverty level means..it really is sad. This is the members of our population barely staying afloat. I guarantee those attacking the program are well above this income line.
Chris says
The only solution is World Wide Revolution, whil we still have cell phones!
Susanna Irene Vidal-Condon says
I am so happy to be able to have a phone, and wish I had one when I had my children. I’m 58 and disabled, Fibromyalgia and other, nothing mental, I was one out of millions who couldn’t get a cell phone or keep up with a pay card. This is a great move but I agree one per family, for one a young kid of some towns wouldn’t touch it and the ones who are getting theses phones shouldn’t. The program wasn’t set up for Facebook users or to play games. It was my opinion for emergency’s to the one who would really need it, this not a plan and the free minutes are enough if used properly and u have an offer to but more minuets. I’d be one of those left to hope there’s a phone around if I need one if u take this program away. One per household should stick, you are just wanting to rob a good jester.
Thank You,
Susanna
Ginny Procuniar says
People with fibromyalgia can do all kinds of work, and I know some who are successful, even working in their own businesses. You say “nothing mental,” but it’s your mental attitude that is probably stopping you from being one of the producers instead of one of the takers.