Taxing
Via AC comes this bit from The Nashville City Paper:
Charging hundreds of dollars to a Tennessean’s right to carry a firearm is simply wrong on its face. Based on the spirit of laws already on the books, state lawmakers past and present appear to agree this a right Tennesseans have, not a privilege awarded to them by the government.
Furthermore, these charges create an economic barrier that may force law-abiding residents of our state on the lower socio-economic end of the food chain to either carry illegally or not at all. Why should single parents, young people and the working poor be at a disadvantage financially when it comes to a right others with more means enjoy freely? They should not.
True. I think the get a new permit costs $115 (it did when I got mine) and renewal is $50. Plus, you have to shell out about $100 on the training course. And ammo, background checks, and firearms are taxed highly in the state.
January 2nd, 2008 at 11:07 am
Here in Delaware the total cost comes close to $500. The permit itself, fingerprinting, notary fee, training course, and the required notice you’ve got to put in your local paper.
Oh yeah, go through all that and it’s still “may issue.” Sure, it’s not as bad as some states, but I wish we’d get with the times and go “shall-issue.”
January 2nd, 2008 at 11:12 am
The cheapest you can go to legally carry in FL is about $200 (fingerprints + mug shot + application + permit + cheapest training course available) not counting, of course, the cost of a firearm, ammo, and enough training to actually qualify you to use a firearm. The “cheap” training course is a $40 high-speed lecture, then a stop at the range where you pick up a revolver, fire one shot, and set the revolver back down. Reasonable training for concealed carry/defensive firearm use starts at around $300-$600 for introductory classes. So, if you just want the privilege of having a cheap .38 in your purse, ignoring actually knowing how to use it, you are looking at about $400 or so.
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Same thing in Texas. 100 for the class. 140 for the permit, plus incidentals like ammo, photos, fingerprints. Probably goes 300 total. By law its supposed to be administered by the DPS at the actual COST of the program, but…SURPRISE! It turned out, illegally, that they were making millions on it. There are discounts for seniors, military, handicapped, et, but the cost of the whole thing could be cut to 1/4.
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Or just go with the original 2nd Amendment at zero dollars. (Like the government would actually follow their own rules…..)
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:14 pm
mike w.
Sounds like there needs to be a lawsuit agaisnt the State of Delaware for denying people their civil rights (2nd, 4th, 14th Amendments) as guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. Requiring a public notice violates the 4th Amendment right to privacy. The 14th Amendment specifically prohibits the States from denying those rights.
All the States should follow the examples of Alaska and Vermont where no permits are required. It’s obviously unconstitutional to require paid permission to exercise a right. I wonder if some of the so-called “liberals” who are anti-armed self defense, would be OK with having to pay for a permit to exercise their First Amendment rights, or to pay a “poll tax” for their right to vote??!!
ALL of the Bill of Rights for ALL Citizens!!
January 2nd, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Wouldn’t be so bad if the permit was longer than four years. Even my NY state one is for life. Except for the part about not buying a gun after five years until a brady update. Oh well, got mine in 17 days, so I cannot complain too much.