$25-a-gun sales tax approved in Chicago area

[Crowman]

The $25 tax on every gun purchased in the county -- city law prohibits gun sales in Chicago -- is meant to offset health care and other costs of gun violence, Board President Toni Preckwinkle said.

"Gun violence is a real problem for us," she said. "It's a problem for us in our criminal justice system and it's a problem for us in our health care system, and I make no apologies for the proposal."

Preckwinkle said the average shooting victim cost taxpayers $52,000 in acute care because nearly 70 percent of the victims don't have health insurance, NBCChicago.com reported.

The gun tax, which takes effect April 1, was passed as part of Cook County's $2.9 billion spending plan for 2013.
$25-a-gun sales tax approved in Chicago area - U.S. News

All this tax will do is hurt gun dealers in Cook country due to potential gun purchasers will just go to another county. She also wants gun purchases to foot the bill for shot up criminals.

Seems stupid is a never ending sickness. I recall many moons ago when people in southern Wisconsin used to make trips to the Wisconsin/Illinois state to purchase cigarettes due to cheaper cigarette taxes in Illinois.

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[DefensiveCarry.com]

[blitzburgh]

It's early and I'm only on my second cup of coffee.. so let me get this straight, law abiding citizens (since you necessarily have to be one to legally purchase one, thus having to pay the $25 tax) are being taxed because 70% of the people who are out to harm them don't have health insurance? Sounds more like a self defense tax than anything else to me.

Wow, that sure makes a lot of sense.

[ccw9mm]

Already running: here.

[RichB70]

I live is So. NV Clark county. When purchasing a handgun here the county requires a "blue card" registration of your purchased handgun $25.00 fee. So call it what you want "fee" "tax" whatever and most of all every handgun is registerd and easily collectable when the day of gun control comes.


Rich

[joker1]

Isn't obamacare going to give free insurance to all of the gangbangers and their offspring?

[Eagleks]

Given the socio-economic status of many and of the higher percentage of blacks in Chicago..... there should be a racial discrimination lawsuit agaisnt enforcement of this law. Those of lower income, have to deal with more crime, drugs, and gangs.... and thus thugs and violence via the use of "illegal" guns...... and the City of Chicago is making it even more restrictive for citizens to legally own and buy a handgun for their protection, thru prohibitive costs and taxes on them.

I'm betting that lawsuit could be easily won.

Aren't they preventing people who may need a gun for protection the most, the ability to own a gun .... thru higher costs ? Is this any different than the old voting taxes ?

[ccw9mm]

Aren't they preventing people who may need a gun for protection the most, the ability to own a gun .... thru higher costs ? Is this any different than the old voting taxes ?

Hey, great idea! A "Pol" tax, a tax on politicos both elected and appointed, to guard against the potential damage inflicted by the most unruly, manevolent and/or utterly stupid of the breed.

Now that's an idea that'll get shot down in a NY minute.

[ghost tracker]

There should immediately be a Stupidity Tax imposed upon the Cook County Board of Commissioners. The enormous resulting revenue surplus should buy Health Insurance for every single citizen...of Illinois!

[blitzburgh]

Given the socio-economic status of many and of the higher percentage of blacks in Chicago..... there should be a racial discrimination lawsuit agaisnt enforcement of this law. Those of lower income, have to deal with more crime, drugs, and gangs.... and thus thugs and violence via the use of "illegal" guns...... and the City of Chicago is making it even more restrictive for citizens to legally own and buy a handgun for their protection, thru prohibitive costs and taxes on them.

I'm betting that lawsuit could be easily won.

Aren't they preventing people who may need a gun for protection the most, the ability to own a gun .... thru higher costs ? Is this any different than the old voting taxes ?

@bold: They pretty much used the same logic with cigarettes.. "let's just tax them up until less people can afford them".

[ghost tracker]

@bold: They pretty much used the same logic with cigarettes.. "let's just tax them up until less people can afford them".

You forgot, "after all, it's for their own good"!

[jryan630]

glad i live in Kentucky.

[BigStick]

Sooooo, we tax our law abiding citizens to pay for the health care of criminals who shoot eachother? Sounds about right...

All of the "gun violence" that this guy is refering to is done by guns that they will never collect any tax on. He may claim that he is trying to penalize those responsible, but only the ignorant or brainwashed will believe him.

[ccw9mm]

Sooooo, we tax our law abiding citizens to pay for the health care of criminals who shoot eachother? Sounds about right...

That's exactly what it means. Amazing, how the logic of the unfocused mind works. "Unintended" consequences, indeed.

[Pythius]

Isn't obamacare going to give free insurance to all of the gangbangers and their offspring?

no........its not

[Pythius]

...Preckwinkle said the average shooting victim cost taxpayers $52,000 in acute care because nearly 70 percent of the victims don't have health insurance, NBCChicago.com reported....

let's remember that this is for shooting VICTIMS, not perpetraitors.