We’ve chronicled over the past several months how anti-gun politicians in several less gun-friendly states have passed, or are trying to pass, legislation levying additional taxes on the purchase of guns, ammunition and gun-related gear. In fact, during last year’s elections, Colorado voters approved a referendum that will impose an additional 6.5% excise tax on dealer sales of firearms, ammunition and accessories.
California also has such a law, an 11% excise tax, which is basically a sin tax, although owning guns is constitutionally protected, not a “sin.” Still, anti-gunners seem to love raising money from lawful gun owners at any opportunity.
The movement has gained so much momentum that last August, U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-California, introduced the “Freedom from Unfair Gun Taxes Act,” a measure that would prohibit states from implementing excise taxes on firearms and ammunition to fund gun control programs.
That said, it’s refreshing when a freedom-loving state bucks the trend by doing just the opposite—exactly what Florida is doing this summer. On January 31, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis released his new budget, which includes an extended tax holiday for those purchasing firearms, ammo and accessories.
According to a report at Tallahassee.com, DeSantis’s “Second Amendment Summer” would eliminate sales tax on the purchase of guns, ammunition and accessories from Memorial Day to the 4th of July. Accessories subject to the tax holiday will include items “commonly used for firearms, such as charging handles, cleaning kits, holsters, optics, pistol grips, and stock, but excluding apparel.”
“I think this is going to be wildly popular,” DeSantis said in response to a question about whether he expects pushback from the legislature on the gun sales tax holiday. “Why would they want to fight back on that? This is something their voters would expect them to support.”
Of course, there are always naysayers for any good pro-gun idea. Enter Cathy Swerdlow, chair of the League of Women Voters’ gun violence action prevention team. Swerdlow is trying to rally opposition to the tax holiday.
“What we really need is a tax holiday on gun safes and trigger locks, so that people who have guns can store them appropriately,” Swerdlow sarcastically told wptv.com.
Fortunately, Swerdlow and others against the proposal can rest easy. All new guns sold by federal firearms licensees come complete with a trigger lock included.
The governor’s office estimates that “Second Amendment Summer” could save Floridians as much as $8 million on gun and ammunition purchases. Those savings, if pumped into the economy in other manners, could help create an economic boom just the opposite of what adding taxes to firearms does.
The new DNC Vice Chair is from the Parkland FL. area, maybe (insert pronoun) can get a good deal on a weapon of war.
I don’t think (insert pronoun) still lives in Florida. If (insert pronoun) does, then Florida might want to see if we can evict (insert pronoun).
We can’t evict a man or a woman probably. Constitution something-something. But an (insert pronoun)? I think there’s room for interpretation on that one!
So government says skipping the tax would create an economic boom.
Maybe drop the tax altogether then? If you need to use force to compel people to fund your bullshit maybe your bullshit shouldn’t be funded.
Every state should be in DOGE mode.
Rip and tear.
Rip and tear.
Florida often has sales tax holidays. For hurricanes, back-to-school, pew-pew, you name it.
Gawd, I’m really considering moving to Florida, but I hate humidity.
Under Jim Crow Gun Control democRat joe anyone who knows the Historical Discrimination associated with Gun Control could see Gun Owning Americans were an inch away from picking cotton.
Not untrue.
They still want to encode firearm related purchases with special credit card identifiers so that they can build their damned database.
Louisiana has had a “Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday” in August or September for several years.
Good to see Florida have one and hopefully other states will follow suit.
Yep, we have a sales-tax holidays every summer as back-to-school approaches. And again for hurricane-related purchases.
The Governor has also ordered tolls suspended before/during hurricanes or other emergencies. And it actually happens, even if you pay your tolls electronically.
I don’t live in Florida but I do drink orange juice.
that stuff is over priced
Be nice to have affordable food again.
Paging Donald Trump
Paging Donald Trump
I remember do do I remember do do
They had a swimming pool.
The Floridians can take their gun ammo savings and shoot a moose now.
Shooting oranges don’t leave much to eat.
I don’t think we have moose. But we do have squirrel!
And if you believe the old tales, we also have exploding armadillos. As the tale would have it, they would wait for you to come along at highway speeds on a dark road, and all the better if you had a headlight burned out….
And just as your car or truck would approach, these armadillos, not made by the Armalite company, by the way, would do a standing high-jump up over the hood of your vehicle, and explode right in front of your windshield, taking out the windshield and everybody in the front seats!
Fake news? Maybe. Maybe not. But you know that even if you never come upon an exploding arma-not-Armalite-dillo at 3 am, slowing down when driving in the dark COULD help you avoid hitting a deer, bear, panther, dog, human, alligator, or….moose and squirrel. And we do have all of those. Except for the moose.