Chicago County Dismisses Bullet Tax, Keeps Gun Levy

Chicago recently marked its 426th homicide, surpassing last year’s total total of 425. The city’s gun violence has been devastating on the community, and it doesn’t seem to be ending any time soon.

But many city and state lawmakers are doing what they can to mitigate costs. Cook county officials had proposed a tax on bullets and a gun levy as a way of  offsetting health care expenses associated with gun violence. And although the city dropped the bullet tax from consideration, the levy is still on the table.

“It is very important to us to tax guns because we know that guns are the sources of the incredible violence we have in our neighborhoods,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle told a news conference.

The plan allows for the county  to impose a $25 tax on the purchase of firearms. It is estimated that the tax would raise $600,000 in revenue in 2013. Officials dropped a proposed tax of 5 cents a bullet because the tax would,  in some cases,  have exceeded the price of ammunition.

If the measure passes, Cook county could become the first county to impose a tax as a gun control measure. The average cost per patient for a victim of gun violence is $52,000, and the money collected would be used to help offset that costs. A small portion of the tax revenue would also be used for gun violence prevention programs.

Opponents of the legislation say the tax will drive business out of the state.

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