Bullshit
I don't usually resort to profanity but since I'm identifying bovine excrement, I will use the more direct term. I got the following e-mail from my DSL provider:

Dear Valued Verizon Online DSL Member,

Thank you for choosing Verizon Online DSL as your Internet service provider.

Please note, starting February 20, 2005, you will begin seeing a monthly Tax Recovery Fee on your DSL service bill. This is not a tax charged directly to Verizon Online's customers, but the partial recovery of tax that Verizon Online must pay when they purchase the DSL circuit from the telephone company.

This fee will be eliminated after the recently passed expansion of the Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act becomes effective in November 2005 until November 2007. Since this is not a direct tax but is the recovery of a tax paid by Verizon Online, there are no applicable exemptions. More information is available online at www.verizon.net/myaccount.

We appreciate and value your business.

Sincerely,
Verizon Online
Broadband Customer Care Team
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This message was sent from a notification-only e-mail address that cannot accept incoming e-mail messages. Please do not reply. Copyright 2004 Verizon. All Rights Reserved

What a load of crap. "We're just passing along a tax." Every business faces a variety of taxes, they're called "a cost of business." I wonder how my client would feel if I said, I'll be increasing my hourly rate by $2 per hour because I have to pay my property taxes. It's not a price increase! I'm just passing along a tax.
Please understand, I really like my DSL service. I even think it's reasonably priced. But if you increase your rate, be frickin' honest about it! Have some belief in the intelligence of your subscribers. Just say, we are increasing our rates by $X to cover the cost of such and thus a tax and explain the tax if you wish.
I suggest a new slogan: "Verizon DSL - Shining you on online since your last billing cycle."