ST. PETERSBURG, Florida -- Jerry Sherwin of St. Petersburg loves everything about his smart phone... except for the monthly bill.

"My favorite word for it is obscene.  I think it's just ridiculous," Sherwin said.

For him, it's not the base rate he has a problem with. It's all the taxes and fees tacked on. Sherwin's cable bill is the same way.

"I have have to shake my head," he said.

Florida's communication tax rate varies for different cities, with most paying around 15 percent. Safety Harbor, for example, pays more than 16%, the second highest in the state.

Even higher, though, are Florida's wireless taxes. At nearly 22 percent, Florida pays the fourth highest in the country, according KSE Partners, a Vermont firm. That's three times more than the lowest state, Oregon.

State Rep. James Grant (R-Tampa) sponsored a bill, just signed by Gov. Rick Scott, to create a task force looking at ways to reduce those taxes.

"It's a matter of putting money back into the hands of consumers rather than government. Because the consumer will not only spend it more wisely, but we will actually see real economic growth," Grant explained.

The Governor says keeping the taxes high can be a detriment to the state, long-term.

"The focus is what we can do that either keeps the cost of living as low as possible, or doesn't allow the cost of living to go up," he told 10 News.

The communication tax brings in more than $2 billion per year for local and state governments. The Florida Association of Counties says lowering that revenue could lead to cuts in services.

The task force is expected to report back to the state legislature in February.