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Thread 316

Thread ID: 316 | Posts: 6 | Started: 2002-03-30

knowquest [OP]

2002-03-30 06:00 | User Profile

Senator Perata Proposes Nickle Tax on Bullets

KTVU/Fox2 News Political Editor Randy Shandobil KTVU Channel 2 News http://www.bayinsider.com/partners/ktvu/news/2002/03/28_bullets.html

Target practice could soon get a lot more expensive. Next week a Bay Area state senator will formally propose a five-cent-a-bullet sales tax. Not five percent, but a nickel for each and every round.

Shoot a small caliber weapon, such as a .22? That more than doubles the price of your ammo.

Sen. Don Perata/(D) Oakland : "I will be attacked by those who hate gun control. I know that. As soon as this airs, I am going to start getting nasty phone calls and email."

Senator Don Perata is a gun control crusader. But he says his tax idea is not meant to deter gun use, but rather to raise money to save California's hospital trauma centers, some of which are going under.

"Bullets cause injuries that are expensive to treat and generally speaking, the public is footing the bill."

Perata wants the legislature to put the tax idea on the November ballot.

Peter Buxtun/NRA Member: "This idea is stupidity."

National Rifle Association member Peter Buxtun says previous gun control measures by Senator Perata put many gun dealers out of business, and he says a nickel a bullet tax would just lead to ammo smuggling. Buxtun: "People would go to Oregon, they would go to Nevada and they would load up the trunks of their car or their whole van and bring tons of ammunition in."

At the Jackson Arms Shooting Range in South San Francisco today, most customers did not want to talk on camera... but everyone said the tax would be unfair. They don't shoot people, they shoot targets.

Sen. Perata: "I am sorry. You cannot screen them out. The same way that someone with a perfect driving record is going to be upset that they pay an added cost for emergency care."

Democrats control both the state senate and the state assembly, so Senator Perata is confident a majority of lawmakers will support the tax. But that doesn't mean it will qualify for the November ballot.

For a ballot measure to qualify, two thirds of the legislature has to say yes, not a simple majority.

Buxtun: "We'll absolutely fight this as hard as we can."

If it does qualify, it could become a hot button issue in the Governor's race. Aides to Republican Bill Simon, who earns an A rating from the NRA, say he would be against it. Governor Davis is taking no position yet. He has signed many gun control bills, but says he's against tax hikes.

-- Political Editor Randy Shandobil, KTVU Channel 2 News

Sertorius

2002-03-30 12:38 | User Profile

**Quote** (knowquest @ Mar. 30 2002,00:00)

** Knowquest, Thank God I live in the South. This idea would have a life of say- five minutes in the statehouse.

**Quote**

** Senator Don Perata is a gun control crusader. But he says his tax idea is not meant to deter gun use, but rather to raise money to save California's hospital trauma centers, some of which are going under.**** Sure, Senator. "For the children" nonesense. I wonder how many of the people treated there are illegals or minorities who can`t seem to exist in a (relatively) civilized society? I know darn well that this is the case.

**Quote**

"Bullets cause injuries that are expensive to treat and generally speaking, the public is footing the bill." ** Since when has a "liberal" ever cared about "footing the bill" on anything unless it was the military? --- ### van helsing *2002-03-30 16:24* | [User Profile](/od/user/48) maybe i could move to frisco then and open a rope shop, as they will need some for every lamppost. and a brake shop... --- ### Cracker of the Whip *2003-06-02 17:40* | [User Profile](/od/user/409) Political busywork. Divert and attack is a political mainstay. An important bill that they, Leftists, want passed is upcoming so a diversion was needed to draw attention from it. At the same time they can judge the amount of backlash of proposing another far fetched bill like this nickel per bullet tax. ItÃ¢â¬â¢s all smoke and mirrors in my book. --- ### MadScienceType *2003-06-02 18:55* | [User Profile](/od/user/242) Perata is also the proud possessor of an all-but-impossible to obtain California CCW permit. All-but-impossible for the average peon, that is. When pressed as to the obvious hypocrisy of an ardent gun grabber carrying a concealed weapon, he replied in the vein that he needed protection from all the gun nuts out there who would do him harm because of his anti-gun positions and legislation. Paranoid schizo, maybe? Perhaps some Cali residents could enlighten us more on this. > **...previous gun control measures by Senator Perata put many gun dealers out of business** Like Perata gives a rat's ass about gun dealers and other "little people." They're there to pay their taxes and make way for illegals. > **Sen. Perata: "I am sorry. You cannot screen them out..."** Like hell he is... > **...to raise money to save California's hospital trauma centers, some of which are going under.** Yeah, but I have a feeling that ain't because gangbangers are clogging them up with vicitims. See Sert's answer: how many of these patients are border jumpers taking advantage of the stupid gringo's naivte and generosity (or simply compliance at gunpoint)? BTW, Simon's a punk, in the prison sense of the word, in my humble opinion. --- ### jeffersonian *2003-06-03 20:24* | [User Profile](/od/user/240) Isn't it amazing that the good senator Perata goes after additional funding by trying to institute a tax on a legal and constitutionally protected activity and product, but never mentions the reason the "Health Care" system in KA. is about to collapse. If he would deport all the illegal mexicans, third world gang banging punks imported from elsewhere in latin america, and focus on getting a real welfare to work program going in the inner city maybe the emergency rooms could stay open without another tax. ---