Seattle, Washington, already has pretty hefty taxes on firearms sales, but city lawmakers unanimously approved a new bill to raise those taxes by a significant margin.
The proposal was introduced last month by Council President Tim Burgess and was approved Monday with an 8-0 vote. Currently, Seattle’s taxes on firearms sales is 9.6%, but when the measure takes effect Jan. 1, 2016, residents can expect to pay an additional $25 for all firearms and .5 cents per round of ammunition.
Burgess introduced the bill under the guise of “gun safety,” though it’s difficult to see how pilfering the pockets of gun owners correlates to a reduction of gun-related crime.
“City government can and must pursue innovative gun safety measures that save lives and save money,” said Burgess. “As it has in other areas of policy, Seattle can lead the way in local solutions.”
The anticipated $500,000 in annual revenue from the new bill won’t be applied to Seattle’s health care obligations on gunshot care, but it will be used to fund research and mandatory reporting programs.
Monday’s vote attracted a crowd of gun control supporters, including Grandmothers Against Gun Violence.
“Life is precious,” said Grandmothers Against Gun Violence member Karen Wickstrand, 72, who marched with nearly 30 other GAGV members on City Hall before the vote. “When people are killed for no reason, that’s tragic.”
But many oppose the increased taxation, claiming it as an assault on civil rights.
“We have already sued them under the Washington preemption law and won before,” Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms Chairman Alan Gottlieb told Guns.com. “They make winning firearms freedom one lawsuit at a time fun!”
And the National Rifle Association says the new measure will yield far less money than expected. They anticipate it will only serve to ostracize those who are unable to afford it.
“The burden of regressive taxes like the Seattle proposal falls squarely on those that are least able to afford them,” said the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. “Persons of means will simply drive outside the city to purchase firearms and ammunition, while those without such options will be forced to go forego their rights or pay the tax.”
(This article was submitted by freelance writer Brent Rogers)
Let me see, you go to another town in Washington and buy your ammo and guns…..
A tax that ‘saves lives’. Hahahahahahaha….omg, Seattle, you are so stupid. Your stupidity has given me a good reason not to ever visit Seattle and spend any money there. I will, however, go to Lynnwood and buy ammunition there.
And Grandmothers Against Gun violence. GAG – what an appropriate acronym. I’m a great grandfather, I think I’ll start a group up against the likes of GAG….hmmmm …….Grandfathers Against Stupid Assed Morons. GASAM.
Ah well. I feel sorry for people in Seattle.
Darrell, What a great idea. I too am a grandfather and I would like to be a charter member of GASAM. Please let me know where to apply!
Why doesn’t every gun owner, shooter, sportsman and users get together and march on city hall and demand the current powers that be, step down. Find out who voted to pass the tax and demand or vote them out of office. Do this on a daily basis and keep up the pressure till the council realizes they have stepped on toes and must back off and repeal the tax. This may be to much to ask of the common Citizen who has better thing to do that day. Then those who aspire to the purple may realize they are the temp help and govern at the whim of the People.
These commissioners and I use that term loosely have passed yet another illegal local law in conflict with state law. These commissioners are supposed to know the law or have council to advise them. The quickest way to stop the abuse of power like this is to hold each commissioner personally responsible for acts of malfeasance. They should be kicked off the commission and fined at a minimum. Defending and losing lawsuits costs the local tax payers money. Its not free to litigate. It’s scary times we live in where our government (local, state and federal) openly violate the laws we have in place under the guise of safety and security. We are not far from another revolution to take back the rights of the people. Those who are willing to give up their rights for security deserve neither.
Most folks do not know this but some claim there are several different versions of the Second Amendment.
I contend there are two, the difference is one has one more additional comma the other does not.
It is my contention that the Second Amendment that was ratified by the respective states in which we reside is the official Second Amendment, it has one less coma, but the wording is the same as the one ratified by the Congress of The United States. This version in my book is the official version.
The Second Amendment as ratified by the respective states was authenticated by then secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. it states : A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
The Bolsheviks in our country prefer the one Congress Ratified with the one additional coma and they have used this coma to beat us over the heads with for decades.
A well regulated Militia{,} being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. They have used this coma to say the founders meant only those serving in the militia have the right to keep and bear arms and that they have a right to regulate arms and ammunition based not on the words but on the coma’s.
The key to both Amendments; is the last four words, {SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED}, This means exactly what it says that Congress, the courts, the states and local Government can not infringe on our right to keep and bear arms, that means all twenty thousand gun laws and taxes and fees and licenses associated with firearms and ammunition are in fact UNCONSTITUTIONAL fore they infringe on our right to keep and bear arms and we need to file suit!
GUN SAFETY! Sure and I’ve got some beautiful land to sell you down in central Florida…lots of lake, beautiful trees etc, etc, etc. Just another tax scam, disguised as gun safety, so that Burgess and company, and the city of Seattle can bilk more money out of the common folk. Typical progressive, dimocrat, liberal, left leaning wing-nut proposal to garner more money to spend on pet projects. When are the REAL PEOPLE going to stand up and say, enough is too much! And to use Gun Safety as an excuse. These people should be ashamed of themselves.
It’s Tax , Tax , Tax and more tax
Seattle is such a sad gun grabbing city.
Seattle: Purchase Front Sight membership to buy ammo and guns at little over cost.
Washington state and Commiefornia are two examples of socialism gone wrong and the sooner the two of them are returned to red states the better.
It wont be long now as those sick of having their lifes blood leached from them to pay for those that want a free ride are finding refuge in free states leaving the vultures in office nothing to attach taxes to except each other.
When Robert Louis Stevenson said “Politics is perhaps the only profession for which no preparation is thought necessary.” He obviously had the Seattle city council in mind.
If even one of these totally uninformed gas bags had given even a modicum of thought to this they would have realized that all the citizens of Seattle had to do was buy their firearms outside the city limits. But it’s apparent that this thought never crossed their mind while anticipating all the extra cash this law would rake in. Is it any wonder that politicians and the political process are the areas most despised by the American public?
I think it would be an easy argument in court that this is unconstitutional. I’m sure that passing a specific tax that restricts an individual from exercising a “constitutional right” would be thrown out pretty quickly.
1. Let’s charge a tax for people who wish to vote at their local precinct! (Oh no we tried that before)
2. Let’s charge a tax for people to attend church services. We should be able to raise a lot of revenue with that one.
3. Lets charge a tax for people who wish to participate in a rally or other peaceful assembly.
4. Let’s charge a tax for people who wish to OH WELL YOU GET THE POINT.
The City Council is fooling no one. It was a back door law to run gun dealers out of the city pure and simple. Meanwhile the Morons who passed the law will waste huge amounts of tax dollars on a law they cannot defend in court. They do not care because the they will either raise taxes or lay off police making the crime rate worse which will again give them an excuse to passé once again more gun ban laws.
All 2nd Amendment supporters, move out of that soaked suckhole. Come on down South where the weather is fair, the girls are drop dead beautiful, and you can still find a Starbucks coffee for $5.95 if you are that stupid~!
“Life is precious,” said Grandmothers Against Gun Violence member Karen Wickstrand, 72, who marched with nearly 30 other GAGV members on City Hall before the vote. “When people are killed for no reason, that’s tragic.”
I agree with you, Granny! Very Tragic….But do you really think a tax increase will reduce crime? I think its time to call the guys in little white suits to come collect you. Not really…it’s your prerogative to be as crazy as a bat, just don’t try to control other peoples lives or run the city while you are so. BTW….Seattle = Overrun by Kalifornians.
Yeah, tax them just because the industry is doing well. I’d be willing to bet that about $0.05 per dollar collected is all that will actually be used for gun safety. City council members with pet projects will “pocket” the rest. The bright side – drive outside the city to avoid the tax. Sorry to all gun dealers in the city – looks like this is going to hurt. They should be at the head of the line to sue. Or, do as many do, and order ammo online. I like to buy local if I can but if the city is going to make it that much more expensive, I’ll have to go elsewhere.