Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
We're the NRA and we're responsible gun owners, just not responsible for the cost of gun [View all]
violence.
NRA sues over Seattle's adoption of 'gun violence tax'
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/NRA-sues-over-Seattles-adoption-of-gun-violence-tax-322709641.html
Officials modeled the tax after a similar one in Chicago's Cook County, Illinois; the NRA said Chicago is the only other city with such a measure. Seattle's tax, which would take effect in January, would add $25 to the price of each firearm sold in the city, plus 2 or 5 cents per round of ammunition, depending on the type. The revenue would be used for gun safety research and gun violence prevention programs.
====
According to Seattle City Council President Tim Burgess, who proposed the tax, the direct medical costs of treating 253 gunshot victims at Harborview Medical Center in 2014 totaled more than $17 million. Taxpayers paid more than $12 million of that total. City officials estimate that the new tax would bring in $300,000 to $500,000 a year, but gun shop owners told council members those numbers were inflated. They said the law would cost them customers and sales and could force them to move out of the city.
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/NRA-sues-over-Seattles-adoption-of-gun-violence-tax-322709641.html
Officials modeled the tax after a similar one in Chicago's Cook County, Illinois; the NRA said Chicago is the only other city with such a measure. Seattle's tax, which would take effect in January, would add $25 to the price of each firearm sold in the city, plus 2 or 5 cents per round of ammunition, depending on the type. The revenue would be used for gun safety research and gun violence prevention programs.
====
According to Seattle City Council President Tim Burgess, who proposed the tax, the direct medical costs of treating 253 gunshot victims at Harborview Medical Center in 2014 totaled more than $17 million. Taxpayers paid more than $12 million of that total. City officials estimate that the new tax would bring in $300,000 to $500,000 a year, but gun shop owners told council members those numbers were inflated. They said the law would cost them customers and sales and could force them to move out of the city.
Gun violence costs the tax payer $12 mil and the tax will bring in a max of $.5 mil or 4% of the damage done to the taxpayer. How is that burdensome?
Run of the mill pistols sell for $300 to $400 each depending on make and model, much more for specialty items and AR-15s go for $600 to $800 each, again depending on make and model. How is an extra $25 going to sway the decision to purchase to "too expensive" category?
Two to five cents a round. Is that so draconian? A NATO 5.56 round (AR-15) sells for .45 each. A 5c increase makes it .50 each and is a 10% increase. If you fire 500 rounds at the range that's $25 or about what your lunch will cost for the day. So while the % increase looks large, the actual cost increase isn't that much. Nine MM pistol ammo is about .25 a round, so the % increase is twice that of the 5.56 but the cost increase for 500 rounds is the same, about $25 or $1 for a box of 20. The stuff I shoot is at least $1.00 a round so I wouldn't even notice the % increase and after 50-60 rounds your shoulder is ready for a rest so the actual cost increase wouldn't be noticeable either.
People who drive on US highways pay a fuel tax to maintain those highways, why isn't it appropriate for people who shoot to pay a tax to cover the cost to the state of that activity?
Oh, I forgot, gunz is sooooooo special.
19 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read