Court upholds ruling on Seattle ‘gun violence tax’

[lostinblue 1,989]

Court upholds ruling on Seattle ‘gun violence tax’

By KIRO 7 News

KING CO., Wash. —

King County Superior Court upheld legislation allowing the City of Seattle to tax gun and ammunition sales, according to documents released on Tuesday.

Seattle City Council unanimously approved the “Gun and Violence Tax” in August; it charges $25 for every firearm legally sold in Seattle.

In addition to the 2 to 5 cents added to sales of certain types of ammunition, it would owners require reporting lost or stolen guns within 24 hours of their disappearance.

The City Budget Office estimates the gun violence tax will raise between $300,000 and $500,000 a year to be used for gun violence research and prevention programs.

Owners of the two gun shops in the city, along with the National Rifle Association, the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the Bellevue-based Second Amendment Foundation, challenged the ordinance in court earlier in December.

Their attorney, Steve Fogg, argued in front of Judge Palmer Robinson that the city had no authority to exercise such regulation over gun sales.

Court ruled on Tuesday that the ordinance is a lawful exercise of Seattle’s taxing authority, and not an attempt at gun control.

What this means

• City of Seattle has the legal authority to enact a firearm tax on retailers
• Sellers would be taxed $25 for every gun sold plus 2 or 5 cent taxes on each bullet
• A 2-cent tax for every round of .22 caliber ammunition sold and a 5-cent tax for every other round of ammunition sold
• A companion ordinance mandates that lost or stolen firearms be reported to the Seattle Police Department.
• Tax goes into effect in January

“We established the gun violence tax as a legitimate and appropriate way to raise revenue for gun safety research and prevention programs,” council president Tim Burgess, sponsor of the legislation, said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The NRA and its allies always oppose these common sense steps to shine light on the gun violence epidemic. They have blocked funding for basic gun safety research at the federal level for decades. But in Seattle it is different. Judge Robinson saw through the NRA’s distorted efforts to put gun industry profits ahead of public safety.”

Between 2006 and 2010, there were on average 131 firearm deaths a year in King County, according to Public Health - Seattle and King County. An additional 536 people required hospitalization for shooting-related injuries during that time.

“Guns now kill more people in the United States than automobiles," Mayor Ed Murray said. "Our community will not stand by as so many in our city, particularly young people of color, continue to pay the highest price for inaction on gun violence at the national and state level. For too long, we have had insufficient research and data on gun violence to help guide our response. We will now have critical funding to advance our work on gun violence research and prevention.”

http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/court-upholds-ruling-seattle-gun-violence-tax/npqJ3/

[Boiler 46,359]

• Gun shops move to outskirts of Seattle.

[Expat1 971]

Should be easy enough to avoid that tax

[lostinblue 1,989]

Should be easy enough to avoid that tax

But another hit against the poor that could perhaps could not get to a gun shop outside the city .If you own a gun you should acquire some training with it. .Some training classes you can take one could shoot 300 + rounds just in an afternoon . Just an afternoon at the range one could shoot 150 rounds in an hours time.. Making a firearm less safe for the owner if that person happens to be poor .and cannot afford instruction...

[Ban Hammer 13,716]

next up, a swimming pool tax, a bathtub tax, a pit bull tax......

[lostinblue 1,989]

next up, a swimming pool tax, a bathtub tax, a pit bull tax......

No it would affect them . Do you think these folks passing that gun tax own any guns ? . I doubt it .Just another back door hit on the 2nd

[Merle 458]

Is this like a carbon offset tax? For every gun crime committed by a dirtbag with a stolen handgun a non-dirtbag has to pay an offset tax when buying stuff legally.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

No it would affect them . Do you think these folks passing that gun tax own any guns ? . I doubt it .Just another back door hit on the 2nd

No most of them have body guards that carry guns

[ExPatty 502]

It is simply another attack on the 2nd, an arbitrary figure. Nothing prevents them from enacting a $50 tax or $5000 tax. Other legislators will take this and run with it until/unless it is judged at the supreme court. Gun grabbers are tireless is trying to limit legal access to guns even though most shootings are through illegal use of guns by people who will resort to violence in any case.

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/2015-chicago-murders

[Teddy B 17,252]

I don't necessarily agree with this tax, but when the NRA/gun aficionados continuously reject any form of gun control, this is what you end up with. I can see this type of tax spreading in the states that aren't so pro gun.

Edited December 28, 2015 by Teddy B

[Teddy B 17,252]

It is simply another attack on the 2nd, an arbitrary figure. Nothing prevents them from enacting a $50 tax or $5000 tax. Other legislators will take this and run with it until/unless it is judged at the supreme court. Gun grabbers are tireless is trying to limit legal access to guns even though most shootings are through illegal use of guns by people who will resort to violence in any case.

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/2015-chicago-murders

Most of the guns that are used in crimes are purchased legally at some point.

[Ban Hammer 13,716]

Most of the guns that are used in crimes are purchased legally at some point.

same for cars used to drive drunk with. so what?

[Teddy B 17,252]

same for cars used to drive drunk with. so what?

[Ban Hammer 13,716]

so how about a DWI tax too?

[Teddy B 17,252]

so how about a DWI tax too?

There is a substantial tax on alcohol if you want to make a connection.