Qwest, Comcast spar over taxes

Among those supporting legislative purview were the Utah League of Cities and Towns and the Salt Lake Chapter of the Utah Mortgage Lenders Association. Opposing Qwest's petition in letters to the commission were the Utah Cable & Telecommunications Association, with six association members, including Comcast; Charles Davis of Republic Strategies in Lehi; the Utah Coalition of La Raza; and Russell Skousen. Davis and La Raza expressed concern about additional taxes being passed on to cable customers. Skousen worried about stifling competition and innovation.

Comcast representatives say it is too early to know what financial hit, if any, the company would sustain if Qwest succeeds. Crapo contended that "this isn't a tax increase matter." But Douglas Mo of Thomson Property Tax Services in Oakland, Calif., and a representative for Comcast and Time Warner, said, "If cable moves to central assessment, their taxes will go up."

In documents submitted to the commission, Qwest said it "currently experiences economic disadvantage as a result of inequitable property tax treatment." At Tuesday's meeting, Oldroyd said Qwest has presented only "unsubstantiated statements as to what that harm is."

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