Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaSeptember 20, 2017

An appellate court on Wednesday ordered satellite-television companies to pay legal and other costs in a long-standing tax case they lost earlier this year. After DirecTV and Dish Network sued, the Florida Supreme Court in April decided satellite TV can be taxed at a higher rate than cable TV. The case was remanded to the 1st District […]

Jim RosicaApril 13, 2017

Satellite-television service can be taxed at a higher rate than cable TV, the Florida Supreme Court decided Thursday. Satellite companies had challenged the state’s 16-year-old Communications Services Tax (CST), which now taxes cable service at 4.92 percent and satellite at 9.07 percent. Those concerns, led by DirecTV, said that difference was unconstitutional and asked for a refund. But […]

Jim RosicaMarch 21, 2017

A tax cut that would have helped a broader swath of Floridians, including the middle class and working poor, was changed Tuesday to instead benefit the state’s business owners. With no debate, the Senate’s Finance and Tax Appropriations Subcommittee cleared the bill (SB 378) by a 4-0 vote. As initially proposed by Miami-Dade Republican Anitere Flores, it would […]

Jim RosicaMarch 19, 2017

A tax cut that’s a priority of Senate President Joe Negron is running into resistance from his fellow senators. Sen. Anitere Flores, a Miami-Dade Republican and Negron’s right hand in the chamber, is running the bill (SB 378) to pay for a cut in the state’s tax on mobile phone, satellite and cable TV service by […]

Jim RosicaMarch 6, 2017

A coalition of Florida business groups is giving the thumbs-down to state Sen. Anitere Flores’ proposal to pay for a cut in the state’s tax on mobile phone and satellite and cable TV service by repealing a tax break to insurers. The legislation (SB 378) would swap the insurance break for a 2 percent reduction in the state’s communications […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 24, 2017

In a move sure to ire the insurance industry, state Sen. Anitere Flores is proposing a cut in the state tax on mobile phone and satellite and cable TV service by repealing a tax break to insurers. Flores, the Senate President pro Tempore, on Friday said she was filing legislation (SB 378) to swap the […]

Jim RosicaApril 6, 2016

Should satellite-television service be taxed at a higher rate than cable? The Florida Supreme Court heard arguments from both sides Wednesday. Satellite TV companies, including DirecTV, want the court to uphold the 1st District Court of Appeal’s 2-1 decision last year, which said that taxing the two services differently is unconstitutional. The state’s Revenue Department and Florida’s […]

Ryan RayJune 11, 2015

Thursday morning the 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee ruled that the state’s “communications services tax” — currently undergoing revision in the Legislature’s budget talks — is unconstitutional. Judge L. Clayton Roberts, writing for the majority in a 20-page opinion, ruled that the CST contravenes state law because it unfairly favors cable providers in […]

Tag: communications services tax

Court to DirecTV, Dish: Pay up in taxing case

Supreme Court OKs taxing satellite TV higher than cable

Senate tax cut proposal OK’d — with one big switch

Senate tax cut proposal, as is, may be on the ropes

Business groups oppose tax break swap

Anitere Flores wants to replace one tax cut with another

State’s highest court talks TV tax

Appellate court rules state communications tax unconstitutional