Citizens, gun store managers, and several Seattle-based organization members voiced their opinions on Seattle's possible gun violence tax and mandatory reporting of lost and stolen firearms to city officials Wednesday morning.
While gun-safety advocate Cheryl Stumbo called the measures, "common sense ordinances," representatives from gun retailers and the Washington State Citizens Committee for the Right to Bear Arms bemoaned the propositions.
The tax, proposed be Seattle City Council President Tim Burgess in June, would impose a $25, business and occupation style tax for firearms and a $0.05 tax on ammunition sold in Seattle. Burgess' second proposal would require individuals to report their lost or stolen guns to authorities within 24 hours or face a civil infraction.
The revenue earned from this tax would go to Harborview Medical Center to increase gun-safety awareness. The city says it's hard to estimate exactly how much the tax would bring in, but officials estimate anywhere between $300,000 and $500,000.
