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As a Washington resident, I am motivated to purchase long guns in Oregon (even more so after the passage of 1639) to save on sales tax, but if I want to purchase a pistol, I of course have to do so in WA. I recently bought a a new pistol and had to pay around $50 in tax, and after doing this for years, it finally struck me: How is it constitutional to pay taxes on the purchase of a firearm? I get that it's not a "firearms tax" per say, but it is exactly that when it comes down to it. Like fresh food, firearms should be tax exempt in WA. How has this never been challenged before? It's a tax on one of out "rights." Am I missing something? It seems like it would be very cut and dry.
 
I'd rather pay a bit of sales tax than fork over 10% to the state on income tax.

Sales tax and use tax make far and away more sense than income tax, imo.
 
I guess I don't get your point then...
I guess my point is that if Poll taxes are unconstitutional because they infringe on the rights of "poor" people to vote, how do taxes on another constitutional right not also infringe on that right? What if the use tax on firearms was 1000% and priced everyone out, now would it be unconstitutional?
 
And property taxes, and death taxes and fuel taxes.... Yeah, we pay taxes on things. I don't see how firearms should be specifically exempt
 
I guess my point is that if Poll taxes are unconstitutional because they infringe on the rights of "poor" people to vote, how do taxes on another constitutional right not also infringe on that right? What if the use tax on firearms was 1000% and priced everyone out, now would it be unconstitutional?
Voting is not an enumerated right. The permission to engage and participate in the democratic process has always been restricted. Our modern day sensibilities might dictate that everyone be given a voice in the society to which they belong, but this is a modern belief. All the fed has ever said is how the states cannot infringe on voting. The states cannot base voting rights on race, or sex, or wealth. The idea of a Poll Tax was a perfectly valid measure until it became politically expedient to do away with it.

Don't take that as an endorsement of such activity - I'm just pointing out that voting is not a protected right and the laws that govern who can vote and when fall on politicians to dictate.

Your 2nd Amendment right dictates what the gov is not allowed to do - specifically, it cannot pass a law that will infringe on your right to own a firearm. The question, then, is does a sales or use tax on the firearm itself constitute an undue burden on the individual attempting to exercise the right?

At some amount, indeed it would. Under that amount, it wouldn't. What's the current tax, $25? I'd love to see you lay out a strong argument as to how that tax constitutes an undue burden.

There are sales taxes on pens, paper, and megaphones too and, for the same reason, such are not burdens on your first amendment rights.
 
The government already charges us a $200 tax (stamp) for nfa items. A firearm is a firearm. Some are regulated more than others. Some are downright prohibited. When was the last time you saw someone with an akk akk gun at the local shooting range?
 
The government already charges us a $200 tax (stamp) for nfa items. A firearm is a firearm. Some are regulated more than others. Some are downright prohibited. When was the last time you saw someone with an akk akk gun at the local shooting range?
That's a whole can of worms unto itself. When that law was enacted, you could get a shotgun for $25. Unfortunately, the first person to fight it had an incompetent lawyer and IIRC, never showed up to court. If he had, for all I know it might have been thrown out.
 
That's a whole can of worms unto itself. When that law was enacted, you could get a shotgun for $25. Unfortunately, the first person to fight it had an incompetent lawyer and IIRC, never showed up to court. If he had, for all I know it might have been thrown out.
It would have been thrown out on the basis that short barreled shotguns are/were used in trench warfare
 
I know its a bit off topic, but I've always wondered what the Oregon folk here think of having no sales tax vs income tax us "Warshingtonians" have to deal with.
It's nice not having an income tax, but when you buy big ticket items such as cars, guns etc, that 10% sales tax really chews into your wallet as well as your general resource spending for everyday living etc.
 
I know its a bit off topic, but I've always wondered what the Oregon folk here think of having no sales tax vs income tax us "Warshingtonians" have to deal with.
It's nice not having an income tax, but when you buy big ticket items such as cars, guns etc, that 10% sales tax really chews into your wallet as well as your general resource spending for everyday living etc.
Every other state I've lived in has had income tax.

I prefer sales tax.

Income taxes really chews into your....income!

Note: those states all had a sales tax as well.
 
I know its a bit off topic, but I've always wondered what the Oregon folk here think of having no sales tax vs income tax us "Warshingtonians" have to deal with.
It's nice not having an income tax, but when you buy big ticket items such as cars, guns etc, that 10% sales tax really chews into your wallet as well as your general resource spending for everyday living etc.

Every other state I've lived in has had income tax.

I prefer sales tax.

Income taxes really chews into your....income!

Note: those states all had a sales tax as well.
I like sales tax instead of income tax, but on used items? That's just not right.



Even the kids know that taxation is out of control.



Nitter link:
 
I know its a bit off topic, but I've always wondered what the Oregon folk here think of having no sales tax vs income tax us "Warshingtonians" have to deal with.
It's nice not having an income tax, but when you buy big ticket items such as cars, guns etc, that 10% sales tax really chews into your wallet as well as your general resource spending for everyday living etc.
Let's assume I get paid 5,000/month straight up, and I've got living expenses of 2,500/month, a fun account that gets 1,000/month, and the final 1,500 goes into savings.

Under an Oregon style, 10% income tax with no sales tax, that changes the numbers to:
5,000 gross income
4,500 net after taxes

2,500 life expenses,
1,000 play money
1,000 savings.

Now flip that around from an income tax to a 10% sales tax…
5,000 income
Let's assume 2/3 living expenses are rent, car loan, etc - untaxed, while 1/3 is gas, supplies, etc (taxed). That works out to:
~1667 non taxed expenses
~917 after tax expenses
1,100 play money after tax
1,316 to savings.

Notice that the difference, in this scenario, is that I would save 316/month more on a 10% sales tax system vs a 10% income tax.

This example is simplistic but highlights my point. I moved here from AZ which has a small income tax and 8.5% sales tax…and I'd take that in a heartbeat over Oregon's high income tax.
 
How's about teriff's on on imports.
And NO tax?
Kinda how it's supposed to be in the constitution.
Article I, § 10, clause 2 of the United States Constitution
US government and states have no right to tax the people.
You know the difference between a libertarian going off on how there should be no taxes and a bible thumper spouting that revelations is upon us from his milk crate in the town square?


nothing. They're both living in the land of their imagination.

There are only two things in life that are certain: death and taxes.
 
How's about teriff's on on imports.
And NO tax?
Kinda how it's supposed to be in the constitution.
Article I, § 10, clause 2 of the United States Constitution
US government and states have no right to tax the people.
There should absolutely be no federal income tax. The federal government was supposed to be smaller and weaker than the state governments. If it were, and I believe it should be, it could easily run on tariffs. It should also not have the authority to borrow money. 250+ years is plenty of time to save up a few hundred billion dollars and run everything on the interest from it.
 

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