Seattle's City Council has approved a new tax on firearm and ammunition sales. As reported by KOMO, city officials say it's a measure designed to help offset the financial toll of gun violence.
Opponents to the new tax quickly promised legal challenge.
The council adopted the tax on an 8-0 vote on Monday, along with a companion measure to require mandatory reporting of lost or stolen firearms. The tax amounts to $25 for each firearm sold in the city, plus 5 cents per round for nearly every type of ammunition.
Council President Tim Burgess said the measures were designed to help curb gun violence. Gun-rights activists promised to sue the city on the grounds that they don't have the authority to pass the measure. Washington state doesn't allow local governments from adopting laws related to firearms unless those local ordinances are specifically authorized by state law.
