Massachusetts moves toward new telco tax

The Massachusetts Department of Revenue is currently collecting a lot of information about the telephone poles and wires that run over public rights-of-way in communities across the state. Why? Because that information will come in handy if municipalities in Massachusetts are allowed to tax Verizon Communications and other telcos for property on which their poles and wires sit. The Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board approved the right for municipalities to levy the taxes beginning next year, and the Dept. of Revenue is looking to provide them with this key information by next months. Still, it is very likely that Verizon will appeal the tax board's decision, so stay tuned.

For more:
- check out this coverage at The Boston Globe