Council candidate wants to increase Seattle’s tax on guns

One of two candidates vying to replace Seattle Councilmember Tim Burgess wants voters to double down on the city’s gun tax.

Jon Grant, who is running against Teresa Mosqueda for the seat being vacated Tim Burgess, says Seattle is being hit hard by gun violence and the gun industry needs to be held accountable.

The current tax of $25 per gun and 5 cents per round of ammunition was originally estimated to bring in as much as $500,000 in its first year. The money would be used for gun violence research and programs to reduce gun-related crimes.

The tax brought in just over $100,000 in 2016, according to documents the city recently provided after a public records battle with TheGunMag.

Grant says doubling the tax to $50 a gun and 10 cents per round of ammunition would beef up the research funding and ensure the gun industry shoulder’s some of the costs of gun violence.

Burgess spearheaded the effort to bring a gun tax to Seattle.

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