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Ceretto fights Albany effort to tax firearms

by jmaloni
Tue, Mar 22nd 2011 03:10 pm

Assemblyman John Ceretto, R-I-Lewiston, on Tuesday denounced a plan that would place a new tax on every firearm currently owned by New Yorkers and establish a levy on future firearm purchases. Ceretto called Senate bill S.2994 an egregious attack on the Second Amendment and demanded that lawmakers from both parties defeat the legislation.

"This bill is a veiled attempt by Albany insiders and New York City politicians to take away your Second Amendment rights by significantly raising the cost of owning a firearm," said Ceretto. "Downstate liberals are trying to tax legal firearms out of existence, a policy that won't reduce crime and will instead erode our guaranteed constitutional rights."

Ceretto noted that the legislation is currently a one-house bill that has not been introduced in the Assembly.

"While I am hopeful that this bill will remain a 'one-house wonder,' if it does make its way to the Assembly floor be assured that I will do everything in my power to defeat it," said Ceretto. "This ill-conceived bill would also have a negative impact on our state's billion-dollar outdoor recreation and tourism industries. In a difficult economic climate; we can't afford to threaten one of Western New York's biggest job creators."

"Instead of hassling law-abiding gun owners with new taxes and fees, the Legislature should focus on reducing state spending, creating jobs, and passing an on-time budget that puts New York taxpayers first," said Ceretto.

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