Illinois Is Too Taxing For Gun Owners

I've bitched about Illinois before. I'll likely do so again. The state just isn't good for gun owners. To make things worse the asshats of Cook County want to put a 10 cent tax on bullets.

"Commissioner Roberto Maldonado wants to slap a 10-cent-a-bullet tax on those buying ammunition in the county. It's one of dozens of plans offered to close the county's $500 million budget deficit.
Maldonado said an ammo tax 'is as close as possible to a sin tax' and could bring in more than $250,000 a year.
A National Rifle Association official urged the County Board to look elsewhere for funds."

The article goes on to list how much revenue they could get if anyone from Barney Fife to the u.S. military were subject to the tax. But it does not specify if they mean bullet or cartridge. Odds are those folks (at the paper or in the Cook County .gov) don't know the difference. But it's one thing to add a 10 cent tax to a box of loaded ammo (Let's say $20 for a box of 50 cartridges goes to $25 for a 25% increase) & another to add it to a box of bullets (let's say $20 for 100 bullets jumps to $30 for a 50% increase). In either case it's not a cool idea. & this will not do anything to lessen my disgust over that state's antics despite being fond of a few residents & natives.

& "as close as possible to a sin tax"? Is that crumb crusted left leaning sandwich smacking socialist in an American politician's clothing actually implying that the shooting sports are immoral? He can go to a place much warmer than Puerto Rico for that one. & I sincerely hope that should Maldonado ever be in need of a man bearing arms that such a man refuses aid as he does not wish to "sin" on the account of another.

Posted by Publicola at February 9, 2007 07:23 AM | TrackBack