PA.'s wireless taxes are nation's 5th-highest, group says

You can call it wireless tax creep for millions of Pennsylvanians.

The non-partisan Tax Foundation says that Pennsyvania's wireless taxes are now the fifth-highest in the nation, at 22.3 percent.

New Jersey's wireless taxes rank nationally at 32nd at 15.7 percent, and Delaware 48th at 13 percent.

The Washington-based Tax Foundation says that wireless taxes, unbeknownst to most Americans, have been steadily climbing for years.

"The real reason these rates are so high is not because using a cell phone is some kind of luxury that deserves a special tax," said Scott Drenkard, the group's director of state projects. "It's because so many layers of government, federal, state and local, have the authority to levy taxes on wireless services."

Pennsylvania wireless users pay state sales taxes, state gross receipts tax and a 911-related tax. Philadelphia residents also pay an additional 2 percent local sales tax.