A Tax is a Tax is a Fee is a Fee

   No matter what ya call it, your money is not really your money anymore.  States, countries are broke, in more ways than one, and are becoming very creative in money grabs.  You can not completely blame the politicians because the people keep voting them into office???? 

The French government is considering extending the television licence fee to include computer screen owners to boost revenues for public-sector broadcasting operations, the culture minister said on Saturday.
President François Hollande's Socialist government aims to raise an extra €7.5bn (£6bn) this year through tax rises included in an amended budget bill to be unveiled next week.
"Is it necessary to extend the fee to [computer] screens when you do not have a television? It is a question we're asking ourselves, but obviously it would be a fee per household and you would not have to pay an [additional] fee if you have a computer and a television," Aurélie Filippetti said on RTL radio.
She said the government would study the new measure in 2013.
The licence fee – €125 in mainland France and €80 in its overseas territories – is used to finance public television and radio.
According to a Global TV survey in March, more than 11 million French people watch television programmes on computer screens, tablets or smart phones, a rise of 41% on 2011.
The prime minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, on 28 June announced plans to cut staff at most ministries by 2.5% annually for the next three years and reduce the government's operating costs in 2014 and 2015 as it seeks to reduce its budget deficit to meet EU targets.

         Italy meeting with unions