VANDERHOEF: TAX CELL-PHONE USERS by Ken Mahoney

VANDERHOEF: TAX CELL-PHONE USERS by Ken Mahoney County Executive Scott Vanderhoef says the increasing use of cell phones is costing Rockland hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. And he wants the county to tax cell-phone users 30 cents a month per phone to make up the difference. Land-line users already pay that tax, the revenue going to fund the county’s Emergency-911 system. If approved by the County Legislature, the cell-phone tax would add an estimated $400,000 a year to the E-911 coffers , about half the system’s yearly cost. Orangetown Supervisor Thom Kleiner, who’s hoping to unseat Vanderhoef on Election Day, told WRCR this morning he doesn’t think now is the time for any new taxes. He says the county should work instead to bring in new businesses and other revenue sources. A public hearing on the proposed cell-phone tax is set for September 16th at the county