Colorado SB & HB "Special Gun Tax"

Do you really want to pay a new gun tax?
How would you like to be required by law to pay an extra $15 every time you buy a gun? If the Colorado state legislature has its way, you’ll start paying the new tax July 1, 2007.

SB109 (sponsored by anti-Second Amendment Sen. Ron Tupa, D-31) would mandate a special new tax for firearm purchase background checks. For years, anti-Second Amendment legislators have been trying to renege on the promise they made when Colorado background checks were moved from the National Instant Check System, which costs the state nothing, to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, which costs the state millions. At that time, legislators promised funding for CBI checks would be borne by the state, and no tax would ever be charged to purchasers to pay for background checks.

Any fee charged by the state on firearms purchasers is a tax on gun owners. No government should ever be allowed to impose a tax on a constitutional right—ever!

Addendum February 16, 2007: the new firearms tax has been approved by the Colorado Senate Judiciary Committee. It was approved 4-3 on a party line vote. It will now be sent to the Senate Appropriations Committee for fiscal imact evaluation before being sent on to the Senate floor. It’s time to write to your elected representatives to let them know you want them to vote against this abomination! Click on the Vote Smart link below now!

The new gun tax isn’t all that’s going on in Denver.

HB1278 (sponsored by anti-Second Amendment Rep. Joel Judd, D-5) would allow cities with more than 100,000 citizens to ban unlicensed concealed carry in automobiles. For decades, Colorado citizens have been able to defend themselves by carrying concealed handguns in their automobiles without permits for self-defense. This law was upheld by the Denver District Court when Denver challenged it in 2004. This is classic anti-Second Amendment so-called “gun control” legislation: it does nothing to prevent crime, and strips law-abiding citizens of our right to defend ourselves and our families.

HB1174 (sponsored by State Representative Al White, R-57), would repeal the sunset review of the law enforcement database of carry permit holders. Many Colorado counties add Concealed Handgun Permit holders’ names to the state database of criminals. By state law, that practice must end June 31, 2007. Representative White believes those of us who keep and bear arms on a daily basis should be lumped in with criminals forever.

HB1011 (sponsored by State Representative Cory Gardner, R-63) is now heading to the State House floor for a vote. The “Castle Doctrine” self-defense bill simply states that if a criminal breaks into your home or place of business, you do not have a duty to retreat. The bill also provides protection from criminal prosecution for those who defend themselves from criminal attack. The “Castle Doctrine” already applies to our homes; this bill would merely extend that same protection to our places of business. We need it.

What can we do? We have exactly two choices:

Do nothing, and watch the Colorado legislature further erode our Second Amendment civil rights. As soon as the anti-Second Amendment faction passes a new law to tax firearms purchases, how long do you think it will take them to pass a special tax on every round of ammunition you buy? Do you really want to pay an extra $.10 per round of ammunition? If you don’t do anything about the new firearms tax, you’ll just encourage them to add an ammunition tax.
Take action, and persuade our elected representatives to leave our civil rights alone. All it takes is lots of letters, E-mails, and telephone calls.
Just visit Vote Smart, and type in your zip code. Once you know who your elected representatives are and how to contact them, all you need to do is let them know what you think. Too much trouble? Would you rather start paying a special tax every time you buy a gun?

In addition to contacting our elected representatives immediately, the Whistling Pines Gun Club highly recommends visiting the following sites on a regular and frequent basis:

The Colorado State Shooting Association is the largest state organization dedicated to preserving our right to keep and bear arms. Its monthly magazine alone is well worth the membership cost.

The Rocky Mountain Gun Owners is a smaller, equally ambitious group of Coloradans opposed to civil rights encroachments.

The Pike’s Peak Firearms Coalition is a growing, very active El Paso County organization that keeps a close eye on local politics.

The Colorado Springs Committee, Friends of the NRA is an exciting grassroots fund-raising program that fosters community involvement, raises money, and gives 100% of the net proceeds to qualified local, state, and national programs through the NRA Foundation.

Please help save our Second Amendment civil rights!