Taxation As a Gun Control Strategy
Taxation is being used as a gun control strategy. The most recent city to enact this method is Tacoma. However, there's one place with a $1,000 tax.
Tuesday night, the Tacoma, WA city council voted unanimously to tax ammunition and firearms to fund "violence prevention programs." Tacoma is joining many other jurisdictions in using taxation as a gun control strategy.
Tacoma's measure of gun control is mild compared to other schemes being thought up by gun control advocates. Tacoma's tax is $25 per firearm sold at retail, $.02 per round of ammunition that contains a single projectile that measures .22 caliber or less sold at retail, and $.05 per round of ammunition for all other ammunition sold at retail. Essentially, the price of .22 cal ammunition will double in price. In California, some gun control advocates are asking for $1 per round. That means that the tax on a 50 round box of .22 cal ammunition will be $50.
Taxation As a Gun Control Strategy
These gun control measures, excuse me-taxes, will do nothing to protect the public. In the case of Tacoma, it will only hurt retail business owners. Why buy a gun or ammunition in that city if you can go to a neighboring city and save $25? Tacoma's gun tax goes into effect on July 1, 2020 and is expected to raise $30,000 annually to fund violence prevention programs.
But, law-abiding citizens are the ones footing the bill for these programs. As long time cops, we run across criminals with guns. Rarely is it a criminal that has purchased that gun or ammunition lawfully. Most of the time, the criminal broke the law to get the weapon in the first place.
$1,000 Tax Per Gun
In April 2016, the US Territory of Northern Mariana Islands imposed a $1,000 per gun tax, according to the Governor of the US Territory. A report by the Saipan Tribune stated:
The administration of Gov. Ralph DLG Torres defended the CNMI’s new gun control laws on Friday as a law that could be “a role model” for other U.S. states and jurisdictions facing seemingly uncontrolled and continued gun violence.
The administration was responding to queries regarding its position on recent reports that a legal challenge to the new law, Public law 19-42, was likely, particularly over a provision that assesses a $1,000 excise tax on pistols.
Hillary Clinton, The Original Tax Advocate
Former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton first proposed taxes as a gun control method back in 1993. She was testifying before the Senate Finance Committee and gave her personal endorsement for a national 25% sales tax on all guns. Hillary also asked for a significant increase in gun dealer fees to $2,500 (now it is $150 to get an FFL for 3 years). "I am speaking personally, but I feel very strongly about that,” said Clinton at the conclusion of her endorsement. Significant gun taxes are now in effect in Seattle and Cook County, Illinois.
The Original Gun Tax
Taxing guns to prevent people from buying them isn't a new idea. Way back in 1934, Congress codified IRC Ch 53 also known as the National Firearms Act (NFA). They established the act to prevent gangland crime that occurred during prohibition. Originally set at $200 per machine gun and silencer, that amount has not changed since. However, that $200 tax stamp is now more of a nuisance than a hindrance. The NFA doesn't work and history shows that. If history is a predictor of the future, we know that new gun control taxes won't work either. By the way, it's time to repeal the NFA.
Tacoma Today, Your Town Tomorrow
Tacoma's gun tax is a huge warning bell sounding to get your attention. During the debate in the council chambers, Aero Precision brought 400 employees to oppose the tax. Just like Aero Precision, we should turn out in droves when these measures come up. Could you imaging putting these restrictions on the 1st amendment? Should we impose a $1 tax per word spoken? How about a $25 fee to speak in public?