News Briefs

New surcharge on prepaid wireless
Staff
According to the California State Board of Equalization (BOE), effective January 1, 2016 prepaid wireless service users will pay a new surcharge similar to the taxes and fees paid by consumers of postpaid or contract, wireless services.
The Prepaid Mobile Telephony Services (MTS) Surcharge Collection Act, Assembly Bill 1717, was signed into law in 2014 and, “it requires sellers of prepaid wireless services to collect the new surcharge from their customers beginning January 1, 2016.” All consumers of prepaid wireless services will pay a statewide minimum of 9.26 percent tax on the sales price at the point of sale. However, if a local government has imposed its own taxes or charges, the rate will be higher. The surcharge will appear on the consumer’s receipt.
The surcharge will be used to fund the state Emergency Telephone Number Account, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), and local governments that have contracted with the BOE to collect utility users’ taxes. The funds then are spent by those agencies on state 911 and emergency services, the California LifeLine Program, and other local government programs. Direct sellers, or businesses registered with the CPUC as a telephone corporation or with the BOE as a service supplier, will continue to remit portions of the surcharge directly to the BOE, the CPUC, and local governments.
For more information, go to BOE’s Prepaid MTS Surcharge Consumer Guide, Retail Guide, or visit the CPUC web page. For information on other taxes and fees in California, visit www.taxes.ca.gov.
Choose your driver for celebration outings
Staff
The mission statement of the Santa Cruz County Friday Night Live Partnership is to“build partnerships for positive and healthy youth development which engage youth as active leaders and resources in their communities.” In conjunction with restaurants and bars throughout Santa CruzCounty, the FNLP announces an initiative to reduce impaired driving through education and incentives for designating a sober driver.
Eddie Robles, Friday Night Live youth member, feels that the initiative represents a strong first step, “DUIs [driving under the influence] occur far too much in our county—and those only represent those who have been caught. Impaired driving happens all the time. With the help of our local businesses we can make serious steps to reduce this problem.”
FNL provides materials and social media promotion of businesses that opt-in while restaurants and bars make information for finding a safe ride visible and available. Some local merchants in Santa Cruz County that are particularly committed to improving traffic safety elect to provide specific incentives, such as free nonalcoholic drinks or appetizers to a designated driver to reward them for making the responsible choice.
For more information about participating with Choose Your Ride, contact Friday Night Live at 454-4974 or email

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Choose Your Ride is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.