Thursday, July 17, 2008
State Senator Mr. ***
Commonwealth of Massachusetts State House – Room ***
Boston, MA 02133
United States
CC: State Representative Mr. ***
SUBJECT: Recent Legislative Effort to Tax Potential and Existing Gun Owners
Senator ***:
As you are already aware, a special appropriations bill for FY 2008 was submitted by Governor Patrick on Sunday, July 13, 2008. I’m contacting you to disclose my total opposition to this recent legislative effort on behalf of the Patrick administration to tax and discourage the peaceable, law-abiding citizens of the Commonwealth from acquiring and operating lawfully owned firearms. “An Act Making Appropriations for the Fiscal Year 2008 to Provide for Supplementing Certain Existing Appropriations and for Certain Other Activities and Projects ” affronts our natural right to keep and bear arms by drastically augmenting the required firearms dealer and carrying fees.
Specifically § 24 through § 27 are detrimental to Constitutionally-protected personal liberties. The pending legislation especially disenfranchises peaceable and lawful gun owners who are less fortunate and struggle daily to “make ends meet”; Passage would only increase the growing synapse between those who can bear the high costs associated with lawful gun ownership. By any reasonable measure, the draconian and not-so-thinly-veiled efforts on part of the aloof Patrick administration to discourage are simply unconscionable and unconstitutional.
CHSB ";“ License to Carry Fee -1
SECTION 24. Section 122 of chapter 140 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 28, the figure " $100"; and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $250.
CHSB ";“ Annual Dealer License Fee
SECTION 25. Said section 122 of said chapter 140, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word " Fund.";, in line 33, the following sentence:- Each year in which a license holder need not apply for a license renewal, the license holder shall pay to the licensing authority a license inspection fee of $100.
CHSB ";“ License to Carry Fee ";“ 2
SECTION 26. Section 131 of said chapter 140, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 240, the figure " $100"; and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $200.
CHSB ";“ Non Residential Firearms License Fee
SECTION 27. Section 131F of said chapter 140, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 53, the figure " $100"; and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $250.
Jim Wallace, the Executive Director of Gun Owners Action League writes, “With this new proposal, the Governor continues to demonstrate his willingness to attack lawful gun owners while doing nothing to reduce violent crime. The highest court in the nation has ruled that citizens have an individual right to possess a firearm and now our Governor is trying to tax us out of that right! ”
Moreover, in the midst of an ailing economy compounded with abnormalities in the mortgage market and financial services industry, we can ill afford these aforementioned efforts to levy yet another unduly tax on the citizens of the Commonwealth. Runaway spikes in food and energy costs and a weakening dollar amplify our collective anxiety levels.
I strongly urge you and the other concerned members on Beacon Hill to vehemently oppose this reckless and wanton disregard for the recently affirmed Constitutional right to keep and bear arms (Heller V. DC). Furthermore, any additional effort to curtail existing irresponsible laws and policies to discourage the lawful ownership of firearms is appreciated. Any effort to encourage responsible and lawful gun ownership should be forefront.
Please contact me if you have any remaining questions or concerns. Thank you for your attention and consideration on this matter.
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