this post was submitted on 30 Aug 2023
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Americans pay extra for the ability to call emergency line 911!?
911 and similar emergency numbers always cost money.
In many places individuals pays for it through taxes, but people may not realize it because there's 1 tax and 1 big budget that pays for many different public services.
In the US I guess the cost is separated from other public services, and paid through ISP via a fee.
I'm just here wondering who out there wouldn't want to be able to call the emergency line.
It shouldn't be a separate fee, but rather incorporated into the tax that pays for all the emergency services anyway.
It’s a tax. You can’t refuse to pay it, it’s just itemized out like that. Only way to avoid paying it is to not pay for a phone.
It is a regressive tax which is bad (everyone who has a phone line pays the same instead of taxing the rich more) but there are bigger worries in America.
You do too. It just might not be reflected on your phone bill, and is just lumped in with your normal taxes / VAT/etc....