SEASIDE, Calif.- Central Coast News first heard about the problem in Salinas. The city was getting phone calls about a utility tax showing up on people's cell phone bills, but the city said the tax shouldn't have been there.
Gisele Ray who lives in Seaside was watching that story, "It started me thinking 'Are we getting charged the same thing?'"
So ray got out her Verizon bills, "And I found out we are getting the same charge."
Sure enough there was the same tax: Seaside City UUT" for $3.87. She pulled out older bills, one in 2010 was for $2.62, and another last year for $5.08.
"It fluctuates so much in price," said Ray.
That's because the city of Seaside's finance director said the utility tax is 6% of your total bill.
It's the same for electric, water, cable and telephone, but unlike Salinas where the tax applies only to landlines, Seaside includes cell phones.
So, no matter where you bought your cell phone or which city you use it in the most, if you're cell phone bill gets sent to a Seaside address, you'll pay the tax.
"Seaside wants money on top of us buying a cell phone and using a cell phone, it's rediculous...I feel like it's a ripoff."
Seaside's finance department said it hasn't received any calls on the tax and doesn't have any plans to change the utility tax code.
