Staff Reports
California lawmakers have foolishly approved a new tax on firearms and ammunition, making it even more expensive for law-abiding citizens to exercise their Second Amendment rights. The legislation, which passed in the California Senate on Thursday, would impose an additional 11 percent tax on all firearms and ammo transactions. This new tax would be on top of the already high federal taxes on firearms, creating an outrageous burden for gun owners.
The money collected from this unnecessary tax would supposedly go towards California’s gun violence prevention programs and school safety programs. While these are important issues, it is highly questionable whether taxing law-abiding gun owners is the best way to address them. Besides, the fact that Democrats in the state are using children’s safety as an excuse to further restrict gun rights is nothing short of political grandstanding.
It’s worth noting that the firearm industry has been thriving in recent years, with record growth and profits. Instead of punishing this industry and law-abiding gun owners with excessive taxes, perhaps lawmakers should focus on supporting businesses and individuals who contribute to the economy and exercise their constitutional rights.
It remains to be seen whether California Governor Gavin Newsom will sign this misguided legislation into law. Newsom has previously expressed his desire to ban so-called “assault weapons” and impose mandatory waiting periods for gun purchases. Clearly, his agenda is to undermine the Second Amendment rights of Californians. If he does sign this legislation, however, the new tax will likely face numerous legal challenges, as critics rightly argue that it infringes on citizens’ constitutional rights.
California already has some of the strictest gun laws in the country, and this new tax would make the state even more hostile towards law-abiding gun owners. It’s a shame that instead of focusing on real solutions to crime and violence, California lawmakers are once again targeting responsible gun owners. This is just another example of the liberal agenda in action, using any excuse to chip away at our freedoms.
