Editorial: Everett tax on guns, ammo would fund safety work

A proposed ordinance that would add a tax on firearms and ammunition in Everett — and now being drafted by city staff — should get full consideration not only from Everett’s city council, but by other city councils in the county and the Snohomish County Council as well.

The request by the Everett council followed concerns raised by Council President Brenda Stonecipher in April regarding a two-day gun show in mid-March at the Angel of the Winds conference center, managed by the Everett Public Facilities District, which is supported in part by city tax dollars. Gun shows at the conference center, prior to and after the March event, raised questions as to whether the gun shows were appropriate at a time of perceived increased gun violence in the city, including the shooting death of Everett police officer Dan Rocha in March 2022 and shooting this March that wounded Everett officer Chad House.

“I just find it very ironic and credulous that in the midst of the violent gun activity we’ve had in our city — we are still reeling from the death of officer Rocha and the shooting of officer House — and at the same time that the council is approving appropriations to buy back guns, the public facilities district board is approving permit or rental of our facility to have a gun sale,” Stonecipher said in April.

With details and the potential effects of such a measure still under consideration by city staff, the proposed tax, based on similar tax ordinances now in effect in Seattle and Tacoma, could place an additional $30 tax on the sale of firearms and a tax of 3 cents per round of .22-caliber or smaller ammunition and 5 cents per round for other ammunition. The proposal may also set exemptions of the tax for the sale of a single firearm between private parties and sales of less than 50 rounds of ammunition per quarter.

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/editorial-everett-tax-on-guns-ammo-would-fund-safety-work/