MAY 25, 2000

"This is Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy from Long Island with good news about your telephone bill. Pretty soon you should notice there will be one less tax on it. Today I voted to repeal a federal excise tax on phone service.

The first tax on telephone service was created in 1898 to help pay for the Spanish-American War. At the time of its creation, it was considered a luxury tax, when only 1,300 households had telephones. For today's families, a telephone is a necessity.

The tax repeal, which is 3% of your bill, will be phased out by 1% each year, until it is gone entirely by the end of 2002.

I'll keep working to find ways to help out taxpayers here on Long Island. Thank you."