Washington State Dems propose bill to classify ammo as a ‘privilege’ in order to tax it

Democrats in the Washington State legislature began this year’s session by targeting gun rights by attempting to classify ammunition as a “privilege” to subject it to a tax.

House Bill 2238, which is sponsored by Democratic State Reps My-Linh Thai and Liz Berry imposes an 11 percent sales and use tax on ammunition in Washington on top of sales, local, state, and federal taxes in an attempt to reduce "gun violence."

Berry previously worked for former US Representative Gabby Giffords as her Legislative Director when the congresswoman was shot in 2011.

Instead of having the right to purchase ammunition, Democrats are attempting to classify it as a “privilege.”

According to the proposed legislation, “A use tax is levied on every person in this state for the privilege of using ammunition as a consumer at the rate of 11 percent of the selling price.”

Despite their best efforts, gun sales have increased thanks to Democratic legislation.

Democrats previously banned high-capacity magazines and “assault weapons” which led to a spike in purchases in advance of the ban.

Additionally, Democrats have driven up demand by softening punishment for criminals which led to record crime, causing a sharp rise in first-time gun ownership.

In Seattle, following Democratic politicians defunding the police, appointing activist judges, and not prosecuting crimes, homicides in 2023 broke the all-time high record set in 1994. Seattle previously established a per-round tax.

Last year, Democratic State Rep. Tarra Simmons, a convicted felon, attempted to pass a bill that would have reduced charges against drive-by shooters and would have released convicts serving time for the offenses.

Democratic State Rep. Roger Goodman is attempting to pass HB 1268 which would prevent judges from adding prison time to felons that use firearms to commit crimes and offers the potential of early release to convicts in prison on firearm enhancements.

Simmons is also back again this session with new legislation, attempting to give judges clemency powers so they could unilaterally decide to reduce sentences for violent offenders years later, even if the facts of a case have not changed.