ALBANY — A Brooklyn Democrat who’s taken more than $14,000 in campaign cash from the cable- TV industry is pushing a bill to tax cable’s up-and-coming competitor.
State Sen. Kevin Parker’s bill would slap a 5 percent tax on gross receipts for direct-broadcast satellite providers, diverting an estimated $50 million to $100 million a year from satellite-TV consumers’ pockets to government coffers.
“He’s literally taxing the air,” said one insider.
But Parker and cable reps say it’s only fair that satellite providers pay taxes, since cable already ponies up at least 5 percent in franchise fees — more than $550 million a year.
Parker didn’t return calls for comment yesterday.
“The [cable] industry would like to be on a level playing field with its competitors,” said Cable Telecommunications Association of New York President Allison Lee.
Reps for satellite, which claims 20 to 25 percent of New York’s market, say the current tax is fair because laying cable temporarily tears up streets.