*Editor’s Note* – It is my opinion that the planned lawsuit by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, et. al. will have to be an exercise in proving that the proposed excise tax, (gun violence) tax is nothing more than a direct attempt to control guns. If that be the case, then King County would be in violation of the State of Washington’s preemption laws.
However, and I’m no lawyer, there is precedence that might play in the favor of the City of Seattle. Seattle was successful in adding a Regional Transit Authority Tax in order to pay for the existence of public transportation. Approval was obtained from the state.
Has Seattle gained approval for what appears to be a preemption of laws from the state? Would the State Legislature grant them this “violence tax?”
“NSSF has no alternative but to be an active party in this lawsuit against the City of Seattle’s attempt to interfere in the lawful commerce in the firearms and ammunition on the grounds it violates Washington State’s preemption statute that blocks cities from regulating the sale of firearms on their own,” says NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Larry Keane, “The Seattle ordinance is nothing but a ‘poll tax’ on the Second Amendment and an effort to drive Seattle’s firearms retailers out of business.”
