Tacoma City Council approves controversial gun tax
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After three hours of intense and heated testimony from 112 people on both sides of the divisive issue, the Tacoma City Council passed a controversial plan to tax guns and ammunition.
Council leaders passed the gun and ammo tax with the caveat that it won’t go into effect until July 2020.
The tax adds $25 to each gun sold, plus an extra two to five cents for each bullet, depending on size.
Council members said the money is for programs to prevent gun violence which has gone up 37% in Tacoma between 2014 to 2018. A total of 22 people have been murdered in Tacoma so far this year; 19 deaths involved guns.
However, folks against the tax say it would punish law abiding citizens who won’t be able to afford to protect themselves.
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