These people are soooooo smart aren't they?
Posted on 03/04/2005 4:53:19 AM PST by SheLion
BANGOR - A gun and ammunition tax that would create a fund to increase security at the state's courthouses has been proposed by several members of the Legislature's Judiciary Committee. The 7 percent tax would be in addition to the 5 percent state sales tax that consumers already pay when they buy guns and ammunition from licensed dealers in the state.
George Smith, executive director of the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine, said on Monday that while the organization supports improved security at courthouses, it would oppose the bill.
"Making law abiding citizens who are gun owners pay the entire cost of something that serves all the people is the wrong approach," he said. "I can't see any justification in this particular funding source. Why not knives and other items?"
The bill, LD 1012, which was printed late last week, has been referred to the Taxation Committee. A date for a public hearing has not been set.
The bill's sponsor, Rep. Deborah L. Pelletier-Simpson, D-Auburn, said on Monday that she is very concerned about court safety and believes the bill will help focus attention on the need for full-time screening in the state's busiest courthouses.
"We need to do something before we have a person shot in our courts," she said. "We are not protecting our judges or our citizens who go there."
Pelletier-Simpson said that she chose to tax firearms rather than other potential weapons such as knives, because as a victim of domestic violence she believes guns are deadlier.
"I am more concerned about court security than creating a new tax," she said on Monday. "If people want to come up with another way to pay for it, I'm open to other ideas, but we have to make our courts safe."
The bill, if passed, would create the Courthouse Security Fund that would be used to pay security officers to operate screening equipment similar to that used at airports and in federal buildings.
Exactly how much money a gun and ammunition tax would raise has not been determined, but earlier this year, Ted Glessner, state court administrator, said that it would cost $3 million to use the equipment properly year round.
Glessner also has said that about 85 more court security officers are needed to operate the X-ray machines and metal detectors.
The judiciary would not take a stand on the bill, he said on Monday.
For almost a year, the 28 metal detectors and 10 X-ray machines have sat idle in courthouses around the state because there has been no money to pay security officers to operate them. The equipment was purchased in 2003 with $540,000 in bond issue money.
Legislators last year approved $100,000 for random screenings in locations around the state that now are under way.
In her State of the Judiciary Address to the Legislature last month, Leigh I. Saufley, chief justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, however, again expressed concern about "the inability of the judicial branch to make our courthouses safe."
Entry screening is conducted an average of 10 days each year for each of the state's 41 courthouses, she said.
The chief justice also told the Legislature that during that limited time screeners had confiscated more than 1,400 knives or related weapons and five firearms.
"Imagine what has come through those doors during the more than 200 days when entry screening was not in place," she said last month.
Once they promise us the moon and get our vote, and then sit in their cushy seats in the State House, they could care less about their constituents. Except their PET constituents! I'm am sick of it.
Let's do like the Lebanese and clean house. heh!
Does anyone blame me for leaving Maine? Come to Missouri y'all, it's great. Taxes are lower, weather is better, people are friendlier, guns and ammo are cheaper, and there is a LOT less regulation. Plus you get to cower in fear from tornados every spring.
Maine is like living in a frozen, socialistic Scandinavian country, but without all the good looking blondes. Although, I must admit that I miss moose season.
So actually this is nothing more than a jobs program for court security officers.
Gotta repay all those party hacks somehow.
These people are soooooo smart aren't they?
Jake
You escaped just in time, there's actually a move afoot to make Moxie the official state drink.
I guess crank-case oil was already taken by another state.
Governor Baldacci of Maine post proposed legislation on homosexual website before State web site.
Citizen Alert Maine Christian Civic League by Tim Russell, Legislative Liaison
If you think Governor Baldacci is Governor of ALL the citizens of Maine, then write, call, e-mail him (and your legislators) asking why the full text of his "gay" rights bill is displayed, in its entirety, on the web site of the Maine Gay Lesbian Political Alliance (aka Equality Maine) and NOT on the State Web site for all citizens to read? Talk about your arrogance and elitism! The citizens of Maine must first go to a homosexual web site to read proposed legislation that will affect them and their children, before it is posted to the State's Web site.
As has been stated before, the Governor is supposed to represent all the people of Maine. As League President Rev. Dallas Henry said in the press recently, the Governor is really only interested in representing homosexuals. Rev. Henry says this clearly is the only logical conclusion an informed and fair minded person can form. ...
No wait a minute. I take offense to that remark. LOL!
I will.
I will consider that. Thank you.
Without as high of a percentage of good looking blondes! You see 12 years of marriage has taught me to tap dance very well thank you. :)
Soooooooooo..........how many people have been killed in the court house? I think it is telling that there are screams of angst about making a place safe that is already safe. I have not seen headlines about wholesale carnage in Maine courtrooms.
Which make me absolutely believe that they have another agenda for the extra tax dollars!
Pay up. I, for one, am tired of carrying hunters on my back.
Without as high of a percentage of good looking blondes! You see 12 years of marriage has taught me to tap dance very well thank you. :)
hehe! I understand!
I'm afraid it is too late. How are you going to form a grassroots efforts when one quarter of the state is on welfare, and another quarter only have summer homes? Of the other 50% you have a majority of them young single, I mean, "partnered" liberals who don't have children and embrace "diversity."
Jake
And I, as a legal smoker, am ALSO tired of carrying the state budget on MY back!
Well imagine that!
Do you know that the level of taxation on sporting goods, i.e. guns , ammo, camo, etc. is already taxed at a higher rate than other goods to pay for the administration of public lands and conservation programs? Who is carrying whom? Hhhhhhmmmm.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.