Rates for Texas basic residential telephone service, includingthe federal subscriber line charge, range fromabout $13.82 per month in rural areas to $16.72 in urbanareas. But long-run incremental costs for service rangefrom $11.84 per month in the most densely-populatedareas to more than $250 per month in rural areas. Approximately95 percent of all basic residential lines aresubsidized. Sources for the subsidies include added features,business service, long distance and the UniversalService Fund.
Local Government
Small Towns, Big Tax Increases
The city of Whitesboro ignited a firestorm recently when officials suggested adopting a tax rate that would have skyrocketed the average homeowner’s property tax bill by 61 percent. The initial public hearing to discuss the matter drew hordes of angry Whitesboro residents who voiced their discontent. So much so, in fact, that city councilmembers tabled...
September 17, 2025