What is the new: Surcharges & fees, Cost Assessment Charge $2.80

Cost Assessment Charge
The Cost Assessment Charge is a per-line, per-month fee. It isn’t a tax or charge that the government requires us to collect. It helps us recover the costs of supporting and administering government programs and requirements.

https://www.att.com/support/article/wireless/KM1022940

I suggest you call "billing".  Ask for them as you go down the 800-288-2020 phone tree.

I was hoping to get an answer here so I didn't have to sit on hold FOREVER

Billing is not tech support so I would think the hold time wouldn't be as long.  I looked at my last bill and didn't see any Cost Assessment Charge line item, otherwise I would have said something about it because I would have called billing asking about it.

Hmm, after seeing @skeeterintexas's post it must be a location specific charge of some sort.

It's not something I had been notified about on my previous bills. Nor have I ever been charged for it before on my Uverse only bill. My bill is for my internet only, no phone lines on this bill. Guess I'm going to have to call them and ask. 

Calling now and estimated hold time for billing is 21 minutes...............ugh

Per my bill from July:

CAC rate increase
Effective October 1, 2019, there will be an increase in the AT&T Cost
Assessment Charge used to recover AT&T property taxes. The monthly
rate will change from 2.92% to 7.00% of your total AT&T Business Internet,
Phone and/or U-verse TV monthly charges. This charge is not a tax or fee
that the government requires AT&T to collect from its customers. For more
information, please contact an AT&T representative at the phone number
listed on the front of your bill.

So we are now paying for ATT property taxes!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's the thing...it doesn't matter if you think it's fair or not fair.  It is what it is. 

There's a new meaning for The Golden Rule:  Them that's got the gold makes the rules.

Unless I change providers. 

Then if you are on a promo you might run up against the early termination fees which are a whole lot more than $2.80/month!