Many conservatives have been touting a consumption tax as a more desirable tax than income tax. So, Minnesota puts a higher sales tax on tobacco and a sales tax on business equipment. I haven't noticed many conservatives cheering this development, but many conservatives are calling these taxes unfair and business-unfriendly.
See "New sales tax hurts rural broadband proponents say", Adam Belz, Star Tribune, 2013-06-30.
Could the real problem with broadband expansion be that the basic cost even without taxes is a deterrent to many potential buyers. I know that I don't want to pay $30-$50+ plus for internet access for two to three nights a week in our cabin. I would rather just cut back my use to the limits of my patience with 25kbps dial-up. I'll just do one or two things that I can accomplish in, not thirty seconds, but ten minutes!
