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Cook County passes new guns and ammo tax to try to comply with high court ruling

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Illinois

* Background is here if you need it. Alice Yin at the Tribune…

Cook County commissioners voted Thursday to amend a guns and ammunition tax that was found unconstitutional by the Illinois Supreme Court, aiming to give the measure another lifeline by designating that money for violence prevention.

In a 12-2 vote, with three commissioners absent, the county board approved the amendment, which states all revenue from the firearm and ammunition tax must go toward programs or operations geared toward gun violence prevention. The passage follows an Oct. 21 ruling from the state’s highest court that found the levy was unconstitutional. […]

The board’s two Republican commissioners, Sean Morrison and Peter Silvestri, opposed the amendment. Before the vote, Morrison read a separate opinion from Illinois Supreme Court Justice Michael Burke that said, “The majority’s analysis wrongly leaves the door open for a municipality to enact a future tax on firearms or ammunition that is more narrowly tailored to the purpose of ameliorating the cost of gun violence.” […]

Commissioner Larry Suffredin, a Democrat and vocal gun control advocate, brushed off Morrison’s warnings. He noted that Burke was acting as a “lone justice” when he issued his opinion against future taxes with a narrower focus.

The court didn’t take up the 2nd Amendment issue because the tax issue was sufficient to strike down the ordinance. So, we’ll see what happens now, but you gotta figure they’re all going back to court.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Nov 5, 21 @ 11:17 am

Comments

“…but you gotta figure they’re all going back to court.” For sure. That’s the procedure of these gun groups like ISRA & NRA, to keep the lawsuits going and fundraise off of them. Chicago area attorney David Sigale has turned “gun rights” into a full time job since working with Alan Gura on the Otis McDonald SCOTUS case.

Last I knew circa the concealed carry bill, John Boch would have starved if his wife Wendy wasn’t working at U of I Champaign. The Cook County board vote here will keep the Guns Save Life carney show rolling into town next year.

Comment by Elmer Keith Friday, Nov 5, 21 @ 1:22 pm
You need a FOID card to buy ammo right? I’d imagine gun criminals buy ammo on the streets or in Indiana.

Comment by What's the point? Friday, Nov 5, 21 @ 1:23 pm
==I’d imagine gun criminals buy ammo on the streets or in Indiana.==
Oh man, we’ve tried nothing and we’re all out of ideas. Unless you are an anarchist who believes in legalizing cocaine, heroin, and a whole host of other things you can get without going to a lawful business, this is disingenuous nonsense.

Comment by Nuke The Whales Friday, Nov 5, 21 @ 1:37 pm
Oh, man. We have to do something even if it will have zero impact on the issue we’re trying to solve.

Seems a little disingenuous as well. Maybe balance the pros and cons before rushing policy. Save some money in court fees if nothing else.

Comment by What's the point? Friday, Nov 5, 21 @ 1:47 pm
>>>> Oh man, we’ve tried nothing and we’re all out of ideas.

$0.05 on a $0.50 round of ammo
when they first enacted the tax, that round of ammo was $0.20, now it’s closer to $0.75…

How about a 10% tax on automobile sales to remediate the high cost of automotive violence, that is violent crime where a car, van or truck was used?

Comment by We've never had one before Friday, Nov 5, 21 @ 1:49 pm
Anti-gun folks: Those that own guns should be responsible and take classes and train to use their gun.

Also anti-gun folks: Let make ammo more expensive than it already is to reduce training for law-abiding gun owners.

Comment by Just Observing Friday, Nov 5, 21 @ 1:52 pm
Yup we’re going back to court

Comment by Todd Friday, Nov 5, 21 @ 2:59 pm