Here’s what I sent to everyone listed in the article(except Fiona Ma-different email did not allow enough room)and Noreen Evans, who has always been pretty much useless on these issues. Keep in mind that I never said I was good at this!
To Whom It May Concern:
Assembly Bill 2062 would impose taxes on the base material requirement to exercise a Constitutional right, specifically the Second Amendment.
Minnesota unintentionally did something like this regarding the First Amendment by imposing a “use Tax” on paper and ink. A major newspaper took it to court. The tax was upheld by the Minnesota Supreme Court but the US Supreme Court reversed it.
>U.S. Supreme Court
Minneapolis Star v. Minnesota Comm’r, 460 U.S. 575 (1983)
“Minnesota’s ink and paper tax violates the First Amendment not only because it singles out the press, but also because it targets a small group of newspapers. The effect of the 0,000 exemption is that only a handful of publishers in the State pay any tax at all, and even fewer pay any significant amount of tax. To recognize a power in the State not only to single out the press, but also to tailor the tax so that it singles out a few members of the press, presents such a potential for abuse that no interest suggested by Minnesota can justify the scheme. P P. 591-592.”
Link to the Case Preview: http://supreme.justia.com/us/460/575/
Link to the Full Text of Case: http://supreme.justia.com/us/460/575/case.html
Assembly Bill 2062, on this basis, is unconstitutional! This law would impose onerous burdens on law abiding gun owners who already pay fees for background checks when they purchase guns, as well as our bankrupt government, which cannot afford to provide the personnel and materials to enforce these frivolous feel good laws.
Businesses have left California in droves already. The extra burden of California’s regulations could drive even more businesses away and possibly make it more difficult for law enforcement to obtain their necessary arms. Some gun manufacturers are refusing to even deal with California. STI International has already halted all shipments of firearms to California. The company will no longer sell any firearms to civilians or law enforcement in this state. Barrett Firearms is following suit. This was in response to the micro stamping fiasco. The extra burden placed on vendors will surely cause many of them to discontinue sales which will reduce tax income. Criminals will only go to a thriving black market for ammunition like they already do for guns. The law abiding armed citizens who are confronted by them are forced to fight them with one hand tied up by their government. The unarmed who are confronted by them are completely at their increasingly rare mercy.Criminals and terrorists flourish in a “gun free” zone. They love these laws because their lives are made much easier and their actions are made much freer of risk.
The most dangerous thing about this law is the further criminalization of an overtaxed, over legislated public. All of the gun owners I know are very responsible and law abiding. They handle their guns with more care than some people in law enforcement do. While honing their skills regularly at the shooting range they use a lot of ammunition. I know married couples who give each other several hundred rounds of ammunition as a gift to be used on future trips to the range who would be criminalized for not being registered as a “handgun ammunition vendor” in the DOJ database.
Sincerely,
XXXXX XXXXXX
(resident of the 7th District and registered voter)
Good one!!
Molon Labe!