Description of Taxes & Fees

Federal Cost Recovery Charge: Charge associated with payment of government imposed fees and to recover the costs of compliance with government imposed regulatory requirements

Federal Excise Tax: Imposed on the sale of specific goods or services, or on certain uses. 

Federal Universal Service Fund (FUSF): A U.S. government-administered program to subsidize telecommunications services and broadband in rural and high-cost areas, for low-income consumers, and for schools, libraries, and healthcare facilities.

City Franchise Fee: Generally, a municipal franchise fee is the “rent” that a utility company pays the city to use the right-of-ways (ROW) for its lines, pipes, poles, etc.  

OR Enhanced 911 Excise Tax: Also known as the Emergency Communications Tax or the 911 Tax, this is applied to landlines, postpaid wireless, and Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP)

OR Property Tax Recovery Fee Monthly (PTRF): A applied as a monthly allocation charge in order to recover a portion of the property taxes paid to provide telecommunications services to businesses and homes around the state

OR Puc Fee: Assessed on all intrastate revenues (including both local and toll services) and is designed to recover the amount telecommunications service providers pay the PUC to regulate public utilities

OR Residential Service Protection Fund (RSPF) Surcharge: A legislatively approved fund in the Oregon State Treasury that supports the Oregon Telephone Assistance Program, the Telecommunication Devices Access Program, and the Oregon Telecommunications Relay Service

OR Universal Service Fund (OUSF): Supports local telephone companies to ensure that basic telephone service is available at reasonable and affordable rates in higher-cost rural areas throughout the state

Regulatory Compliance Fee: A percentage of the customers bill that helps recover the amount paid to the federal government for regulatory costs and telecommunication services.

Eugene License Fee: A telecommunications business privilege tax (also known as a registration fee) which funds new City of Eugene telecom technology related projects.