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County takes a shot at 10-cent-a-bullet tax
Stroger wins shouting match, OK to transfer $13 mil. from forests

February 8, 2007
BY STEVE PATTERSON Staff Reporter

What could be the nation's first tax on bullets is being floated as a way to help balance Cook County's budget.

Commissioner Roberto Maldonado wants to slap a 10-cent-a-bullet tax on those buying ammunition in the county. It's one of dozens of plans offered to close the county's $500 million budget deficit.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/2 ... 08.article

I think they'd be SHOCKED at how many places there are outside Cook County that will sell cartridges & bullets to residents of Cook County. They think they'll make money on this, but I bet they'll loose money (it'll cost more to collect the tax than what they collect).

There are FAR too many online store that will ship to Chi-town & Cook County. Also, IIRC, Cook County only covers about 1/2 of all of Chicago, so you wouldn't even have to leave the city to get bullets that aren't covered by that tax.

I estimate that you could go about 45 minutes in any direction from anywhere in Cook County and be OUT of the county.

This tax certainly appears to be stupid beyond words.

Mithras61 wrote:This tax certainly appears to be stupid beyond words.

My thought is how many more County or State Governments will attempt this. Sometimes "Stupid" is catching.

Obviously there are ways around this. What bothers me, however, is finding ways to penalize the gun owner.

I got it! How about a $1,000 tax on every bad idea put forth by a politician? That would make up the entire Cook County deficit after just 500,000 bad ideas by politicians. They should be able to balance the budget by Labor Day...

Great idea!

Wonder if the tax would be on all bullits? That would make a 22 even
expensive to tarket practice.

Tote 9 wrote:Wonder if the tax would be on all bullits? That would make a 22 even
expensive to tarket practice.

At 50 bucks a brick tax, They won't ever sell 22s in Crook County again.

Mithras61 wrote:I think they'd be SHOCKED at how many places there are outside Cook County that will sell cartridges & bullets to residents of Cook County. They think they'll make money on this, but I bet they'll loose money (it'll cost more to collect the tax than what they collect).

There are FAR too many online store that will ship to Chi-town & Cook County. Also, IIRC, Cook County only covers about 1/2 of all of Chicago, so you wouldn't even have to leave the city to get bullets that aren't covered by that tax.

I estimate that you could go about 45 minutes in any direction from anywhere in Cook County and be OUT of the county.

This tax certainly appears to be stupid beyond words.

I would think that if you drove 45 minutes in any direction out of Chicago, and not turn back, you'd be in pretty good shape...

Folks, they're not trying to "make money" in tax revenue. That's their maskirovka, their subterfuge. These politicos know that folks will go outside Cook County to buy their ammo.

They're attempting to eliminate any and all ammo sales within Cook County, in process attacking every sporting goods store, gun store, and the like. Any place that normally stocks ammo will drop it as prohibitively expensive.

That's what these folks want.

Mark my words, if this goes through, they'll next attempt to slap a hefty tax on any firearm sale in Cook County, and finish off any gun shop valiant enough to try to stay in business.

It's not about money at all.

Sounds a lot like the $1/pack hike in cigarette taxes that just took effect in Texas. It's not a revenue matter, because they don't mind all the sales that go to the bordering states and Mexico, not the bootlegging that will take place.

It's about shunning tobacco outlets and smokers as "eeeeeevil" in Texas, just like Cook Co. is trying to do with gun stores and gun owners.

And no, I do not smoke.

Kevin

The arrogance and hubris of Chicago's leaders isn't just limited to firearms issues.

Years ago, the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority - runs the city's busses and trains) imposed gas and sales taxes on residents.

Interviews with gas station owners and retailers just outside the city limits - often just across the street - showed a lot of support for these taxes, as their business went up markedly - they now had a price advantage over their in-city competitors. Duh.

The city DEMANDED that the suburbs collect the tax from Chicago residents, and remit the money to the city. They even got a City of Chicago municipal judge to so order.

They were told to pound sand, as their authority - and that of the municipal judge - ended at the city limits. The city then talked about having residents fill out a tax form every year and pay the taxes anyway for what they bought outside the city, but AFAIK this never went anywhere.

Maldonado's proposal was rejected by the county finance committee. I also understand that he had upped that tax to 50 cents per round. Says he may reintroduce the proposal at a later time.

Smokewagon wrote:Maldonado's proposal was rejected by the county finance committee. I also understand that he had upped that tax to 50 cents per round. Says he may reintroduce the proposal at a later time.

There's an interesting article to read on this at Cybercast News Service.

Mithras61 wrote:There are FAR too many online store that will ship to Chi-town & Cook County.

Most of the online sites have a warning that they will not ship to IL or Cook county, etc.

Mithras61 wrote:I estimate that you could go about 45 minutes in any direction from anywhere in Cook County and be OUT of the county.

But half of those directions would get you pretty wet before you got out of the county - remember that it extends to the center of the lake.

Mithras61 wrote:This tax certainly appears to be stupid beyond words.

Hey, it's Cook county, one has to consider the source.