Just how much do we love our cellphones? So much so that, in most places across the United State, we're willing to put up with astronomical taxes to stay connected.

An analysis of cellphone taxes by the Tax Foundation finds that the levies on the devices are significantly higher than many other common consumer items.

And while we tend to complain about the IRS, in this case the tax damage is more local.

The average U.S. wireless customer pays taxes and fees of 16.26%, says the Tax Foundation, with state-local charges accounting for 11.21% of that overall amount.

Worse, the Washington, D.C.-based tax research group found that state and local governments often hide or obscure the fees. In fact, my home state of Texas even sued Sprint because the company listed a state tax as a line-item in its bill, rather than hiding it from customers.

So where does your state rank on the cellphone tax list?

Nebraska is the biggest cell phone taxer. Its combined federal-state-local average tax rate is 23.69%. Four other states -- Florida, Illinois, New York and Washington -- have total cellphone tax rates of more than 20%.

Here are the top 10 highest cellphone taxing states, with their combined average federal, state and local cell phone tax rates:

• Nebraska, 23.69%
• Washington, 23%
• New York, 22.83%
• Florida, 21.62%
• Illinois, 20.90%
• Rhode Island, 19.67%
• Missouri, 19.28%
• Pennsylvania, 19.13%
• Kansas, 18.39%
• Texas, 17.48%

Overall, 23 states and the nation's capital have average state-local wireless taxes and fees in excess of 10%.

Locally, Baltimore, Md., imposes a $4 per line per month tax on wireless users. The Charm City assessment is on top of federal and state charges. The Washington, D.C., suburb of Montgomery County, Md., charges cellphone users a monthly $3.50 per line tax.

And where is making a mobile call not so costly? Head west, cellphone users.

Oregon's state and local tax rate is just 1.81%. Nevada's rate is 2.02%. In Idaho, cellphone users pay 2.20% in state and local taxes.

From those three low-tax states, the cellphone state and local rates jump to 6.03% (that's in Montana) and just keep climbing.

You can find cellphone tax rates for the 50 states and the nation's capital on page 2 of the Tax Foundation's report (.pdf format). There's also an online list where you can sort the cellphone tax data.

A confusing tax burden

"Cellphone users are overtaxed relative to consumers of other goods, and at risk of double taxation," writes study author and Tax Foundation Director of State Projects Joseph Henchman. "Additionally, the wide number of taxing authorities and the wide variety in rates makes tracking problematic and burdensome."

That burden is underscored by the ability of states to raise revenue with cellphone taxes in a relatively hidden way; note my earlier mention of sneaky and litigious Texas lawmakers. 

Quick note to smartphone techie folks: I see plenty of apps for this and other state and local taxes.

Federal legislation has been regularly introduced in Congress to rein in the myriad cellphone taxes. It's usually titled something along the lines of the Cellphone Tax Moratorium Act. However, it's never moved very far in the legislative process.

If you have enough free minutes left on your cellphone plan, call your representative and senators and encourage them to finally do something about these taxes.

More from Don't Mess with Taxes and MSN Money:

• Talking telephone taxes
• Ringing up phone tax refunds
• Shades of Eliot Ness! T-men nab phone tax cheats
• How to go electronic with your taxes
• States raising sales taxes
• Taxes lowest since 1950?