SAF sues Seattle over sales tax.

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[FONT=&quot]Gun Rights Groups Sue Seattle Over Ill-Conceived Tax Scheme

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[FONT=&quot]BELLEVUE, WA – The nation’s three leading firearms organizations joined forces today to sue the City of Seattle over adoption of a retail sales tax on guns and ammunition in what they allege is a clear violation of Washington State’s 33-year-old state preemption law that does not allow cities, counties or political subdivisions to enact laws relating to firearms not authorized by state law.[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]The Second Amendment Foundation, National Rifle Association and National Shooting Sports Foundation, joined by two of the city’s firearms retailers – Outdoor Emporium and Precise Shooter LLC – and two private citizens, filed their lawsuit in King County Superior Court. Named as defendants are Mayor Ed Murray, the city’s Department of Finance and Administrative Services, and that department’s director, Glen Lee.[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]“We’ve been down this path before with Seattle when we sued them and won, knocking out their attempt to ban guns in city park facilities,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb. “The city does not seem to understand that no matter how they wrap this package, it’s still a gun control law and it violates Washington’s long-standing preemption statute.”[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]“Once again, anti-gun activists in Seattle have chosen to violate the Washington State Constitution and trample upon the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens,” said Chris Cox, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. “They tried to enact similar regulations back in 2009 and lost. It’s a shame to see such a waste of public resources on issues the courts have already ruled to be unconstitutional.”[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]“NSSF has no alternative but to be an active party in this lawsuit against the City of Seattle’s attempt to interfere in the lawful commerce in firearms and ammunition on the grounds that it violates Washington State’s preemption statute that blocks cities from regulating the sale of firearms on their own.” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “The Seattle ordinance is nothing but a ‘poll tax’ on the Second Amendment and an effort to drive Seattle’s firearms retailers out of business.”[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]This legal action is an historic first, marking the first time that SAF, NRA and NSSF have collaborated on a lawsuit. SAF and NRA have joined forces previously in lawsuits against New Orleans, San Francisco and Seattle, the latter overturning an attempt by then-Mayor Greg Nickels and his successor, Mike McGinn, to prohibit legally-carried firearms in city park facilities. However, this is the first time NSSF has been on board.[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]“No municipality can be permitted to set itself apart as a city-state, in defiance of existing law, especially for the purpose of financially penalizing law-abiding gun owners for problems they did not create and crimes they didn’t commit,” he added. “Just as we did in 2009, we cautioned the city against adopting this tax and our concerns were ignored for the sake of political grandstanding. The law is very clear. Cities in Washington cannot set up their own gun laws, and we expect the courts to agree.”[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot]The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation's oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.[/FONT]


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[FONT=&quot]< Please e-mail, distribute, and circulate to friends and family >[/FONT]​

Copyright © 2015 Second Amendment Foundation, All Rights Reserved.​

[FONT=&quot]Second Amendment Foundation
James Madison Building
12500 N.E. Tenth Place
Bellevue, WA 98005[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Voice: 425-454-7012
Toll Free: 800-426-4302
FAX: 425-451-3959
email: InformationRequest@saf.org[/FONT]​

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LeadSled1 said:

Judge says it is legal.


http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/judge-upholds-seattles-gun-and-ammunition-tax/

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ohen cepel said:

The moronic maggots who pass these laws need to be held responsible when they get crushed. They burn up piles of their citizen's $$$ to support their foolish ideas knowing that they will lose in the end.

Seattle will lose after spending a pile of $$$$$ on a lost cause. Just hope the morons who passed this get thrown out soon.

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[FONT=&quot]SAF Vows Appeal In Case Against Seattle Gun Tax[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation promised an immediate appeal in its challenge to the City of Seattle’s special tax on firearms and ammunition sales following a judge’s ruling that the tax is legal, despite what appears to be a clear conflict with Washington’s 32-year-old preemption statute.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] SAF was joined in the lawsuit by the National Rifle Association, National Shooting Sports Foundation, two local gun stores and two private citizens. They are fighting the city’s so-called “gun violence tax” of $25 per firearm and five cents per cartridge, which their attorneys contend is a violation of state law that puts sole authority over firearm regulation in the hands of the State Legislature.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]“We are disappointed and strongly disagree with Judge Palmer Robinson’s ruling, and we are confident that the State Court of Appeals will ultimately concur with our position,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb. “SAF and NRA are very familiar with the state preemption statute because we teamed up once before against Seattle and beat the city soundly four years ago.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]SAF and its partners filed suit this past summer after the city hastily adopted the gun tax. Under specific language in the state’s preemption statute, all firearms regulation – including “registration, licensing, possession, purchase, sale, acquisition, transfer, discharge, and transportation of firearms, or any other element relating to firearms or parts thereof, including ammunition and reloader components” – falls entirely under the legislature’s authority. “Local laws and ordinances that are inconsistent with, more restrictive than, or exceed the requirements of state law shall not be enacted and are preempted and repealed, regardless of the nature of the code, charter, or home rule status of such city, town, county, or municipality,” the statute says.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]“This tax is a violation not only of state preemption but also the state tax laws,” he added. “It is unconscionable for Mayor Ed Murray and the City Council to codify what amounts to social bigotry against firearms retailers and their customers, and we are going to fight this vigorously in defense of a state preemption law that has served Washington citizens well for more than three decades.”[/FONT]
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[/FONT][FONT=&quot]The Second Amendment Foundation ( [/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]www.saf.org[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot]) is the nation's oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control. [/FONT]​

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[FONT=&quot]< Please e-mail, distribute, and circulate to friends and family >[/FONT]​

Copyright © 2015 Second Amendment Foundation, All Rights Reserved.​

[FONT=&quot]Second Amendment Foundation
James Madison Building
12500 N.E. Tenth Place
Bellevue, WA 98005[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]]800-426-4302 FREE
FAX: 425-451-3959
email: InformationRequest@saf.org[/FONT]​

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frogman68 said:

The law is wrong but if the tax is just for the city who will buy a gun there? city officials are stating they estimate 500k from this tax . Think they will be luck to make 50 bucks on it

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MJD438 said:

Guessing that judge would see no problems with poll taxes nor taxation of ink for printing newspapers.

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frogman68 said:

city officials are stating they estimate 500k from this tax . Think they will be luck to make 50 bucks on it

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