Joe Doakes from Como Park emails:
The Illinois Supreme Court struck down a tax on guns and ammunition. Hooray for the Second Amendment? No. Because the reason they struck it down was the Illinois Constitution’s ‘uniformity’ clause. The justices said, “Under the plain language of the ordinances, the revenue generated from the firearm tax is not directed to any fund or program specifically related to curbing the cost of gun violence. Additionally, nothing in the ordinance indicates that the proceeds generated from the ammunition tax must be specifically directed to initiatives aimed at reducing gun violence. Thus, we hold the tax ordinances are unconstitutional under the uniformity clause.”
Any ninny can see the work-around. Money is fungible. The taxing authorities simply dedicate all gun/ammo tax revenue to gun violence prevention programs, shifting existing funding elsewhere.
If our rights depend on how the bookkeeping is done, gun owners lose.
Long way to go.
Joe Doakes
Especially in places like Illinois.