Republican Sen. Al White, R-Hayden, threw a wrench into Democrat plans to raise taxes on gun buyers this week.
“Law abiding citizens are already forced to jump through enough hoops in order to buy a gun,” White said. “The last thing Coloradans need is a new tax on their constitutional rights."
The new $1.6 million tax was part of Democrat Gov. Bill Ritter’s budget balancing proposal. It is one of a dozen taxes that has been proposed by Ritter in order to fill the over $1 billion budget hole, including a tax on candy, soda, online sales and energy use. Budget balancing measures typically need unanimous approval from the JBC, of which White is a member.
Without the full support of the JBC it is unlikely the proposal will go very far.
White was joined in opposition to the gun tax by Rep. Kent Lambert, R-Colorado Springs.