Seattle gun tax runs afoul of state law, will go to court
Jul 8, 2015, 12:58 PM | Updated: Oct 14, 2024, 9:17 am
(File, Associated Press)
(File, Associated Press)
As Seattle considers two council bills that would place new taxes on firearms in the city, AM 770 KTTH’s David Boze warns that this is merely the first step toward funding anti-second amendment organizations while also throwing money away on legal fees.
Related: Gun store owner will sue Seattle, close shop if city passes new taxes
One bill requires gun owners to report any stolen or missing firearms. But a second bill would place a $25 tax on each firearm sold in Seattle, as well as a 5 cent tax on each bullet sold. The revenue from the taxes are proposed to fund prevention programs and research for reducing gun violence in Seattle.
“Which, by the way, we know that in a far left government like Seattle, all that really means is that this money would go toward groups that want to destroy your second amendment rights entirely,” Boze said.
“We know the power to tax is the power to destroy,” he added. “It’s just as easy to place a $500 tax on each gun sold if the city wanted to. They could just eliminate the whole thing and call it part of their taxing authority.”
Boze also notes that state law prevents local authorities from enacting such local regulations, and it is likely that Seattle’s council bills, if passed, will head to court.
“If it weren’t for the fact that courts nowadays can make up whatever they want — doesn’t matter what the text of the law says — I would be laughing about this,” Boze said.
“We’re going to waste a bunch of city money defending a bill that is specifically taxing firearms and the purchase, the sale, and acquisition of [guns],” he said. “Expect Seattle to waste some legal fees and expect them to lose.”
