Exclusion of State and Local Taxes from Federal Tax Base

§ 4254. Computation of tax(a) General ruleIf a bill is rendered the taxpayer for local telephone service or toll telephone service—(1) the amount on which the tax with respect to such services shall be based shall be the sum of all charges for such services included in the bill; except that (2) if the person who renders the bill groups individual items for purposes of rendering the bill and computing the tax, then (A) the amount on which the tax with respect to each such group shall be based shall be the sum of all items within that group, and (B) the tax on the remaining items not included in any such group shall be based on the charge for each item separately. (b) Where payment is made for toll telephone service in coin-operated telephonesIf the tax imposed by section 4251 with respect to toll telephone service is paid by inserting coins in coin-operated telephones, tax shall be computed to the nearest multiple of 5 cents, except that, where the tax is midway between multiples of 5 cents, the next higher multiple shall apply. (c) Certain State and local taxes not includedFor purposes of this subchapter, in determining the amounts paid for communications services, there shall not be included the amount of any State or local tax imposed on the furnishing or sale of such services, if the amount of such tax is separately stated in the bill. (Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 504; Pub. L. 85–859, title I, § 133(a), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1291; Pub. L. 89–44, title III, § 302, June 21, 1965, 79 Stat. 147; Pub. L. 95–172, § 2(a), Nov. 12, 1977, 91 Stat. 1358.) Editorial Notes Codification This subchapter, relating to the tax on communications was repealed by Pub. L. 90–364, title I, § 105(b)(3), June 28, 1968, 82 Stat. 266, as amended by Pub. L. 91–172, title VII, § 702(b)(3), Dec. 30, 1969, 83 Stat. 660; Pub. L. 91–614, title II, § 201(b)(3), Dec. 31, 1970, 84 Stat. 1843, effective with respect to amounts paid pursuant to bills first rendered on or after Jan. 1, 1982. In the case of communications services rendered before Nov. 1, 1981, for which a bill has not been rendered before Jan. 1, 1982, a bill shall be treated as having been first rendered on Dec. 31, 1981. Repeal of this subchapter was not executed in view of the amendments to section 4251 of this title by Pub. L. 96–499, Pub. L. 97–34, Pub. L. 97–248, Pub. L. 98–369, Pub. L. 99–514, Pub. L. 100–203, and Pub. L. 101–508, extending the date in (and finally eliminating) provisions which had reduced the tax to zero after a specified date.