please help the rural and urban people...

... continue to have access to affordable basic telephone service.

As I was distributing my wealth today [e.g. paying my bills] this little card falls out from my Qwest bill informing any that the Oregon Universal service fund surcharge is increasing from 6% to 7.12% effective January 1, 2006.

The reason for this 1.12% increase is to "ensure all Oregon customers-- rural and urban -- continue to have access to affordable basic telephone service. Money from the fund is used to reimburse telephone companies that serve areas with high cost. This in turn, allows local phone rates across Oregon to remain reasonably comparable."

Now, have you ever called the phone company and asked them where this money is going?

You might try that someday,

In the meantime, I take comfort in the feeling that I'm able to subsidize the rural and urban areas of Oregon so that they too may have affordable phone service.