Cambridge Chronicle recently issued the following announcement.
A Washington city will soon begin taxing guns and ammunition.
The city council in Tacoma voted to levy the tax beginning in July, TV station KIRO reports. Nearby Seattle has had a similar tax since 2016.
There will be a $25 tax on firearms, a 2-cent tax per round of ammunition that is.22 caliber or smaller and a 5-cent tax per round on larger ammunition.
“Revenue generated from this tax will be used to offset a portion of the impact and cost that gun violence has on our community by being directed toward programs that promote public safety, prevent gun violence, target youth and young adult violence prevention, and other programs intended to reduce violence and promote community healing,” Tacoma’s ordinance says, in part.
Some gun shops in Tacoma say they’ll be forced to close as a result of the tax. It’ll make them unable to compete, Surplus Ammo manager Bruce Smith told KIRO.
“We will close the doors, so there will be 11 people unemployed,” he said.
KIRO reports there has been no significant decrease in crime since Seattle’s gun tax went into effect three years ago. In addition to the tax, Seattle has also held gun buyback events in an effort to reduce gun violence.
Original source can be found here.
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