Platform : Gun Tax: Burden or Progressive Reform?

Some health professionals believe the effects of violence are partially to blame for exploding health-care costs. We asked community members if they would support a tax on guns and ammunition to raise funds for health-care reform.

JORGE GUZMAN

Truck driver, Sylmar

I don’t think it would be fair to tax gun owners. Why tax us? Because we happen to do something that liberals don’t approve of? It seems to me that the same people that went after the smokers are now after gun owners. I think if we need to raise funds for health-care reform, then take it from a program that is wasting tax dollars. Go after welfare waste or all these other liberal programs. But leave the gun owners alone.

SUSAN REYNOLDS

Physician and director/owner of the Malibu Medical Center

Having worked as a member of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s health-care task force, I have been very impressed by the amount of hard work that went into developing the (Administration) plan. However, I believe the funding mechanisms are not adequate to guarantee all Americans access to high-quality, comprehensive medical care.

Additional revenue sources must be found. As an emergency physician, I have seen firsthand the damage caused by alcohol and guns in our society, and I believe that there should be additional taxes on alcohol, guns and bullets.

A researcher at UC San Francisco has estimated that alcohol costs society about $85 billion annually, and the societal cost of firearms is between $15 billion and $20 billion. Kids are killing kids. Patients are killing doctors. Schools and hospitals are now installing metal detectors in self-defense. The violence epidemic is out of control.

If the Clinton health plan includes additional anti-violence “sin” taxes, not only will much-needed additional revenue be found, but the Administration will also courageously begin to tackle some of the causes of our violence epidemic.

KAREN STARLING

Insurance saleswoman, La Mirada

I recently bought a gun for my protection. This is the first gun I’ve ever owned and the only reason I got it was because I don’t want to become a victim. I agree that the problem of health-care reform is a momentous task that will require a lot of capital. But why should gun owners foot the bill? I didn’t buy this gun to shoot birds or targets. I’m not in it for sport. Since when should protecting yourself become a tax burden?

BOB WHYTE

Activist for Orange County AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power

One of the nice things about capitalism is that it allows people to do what they want to do. And in this system that we operate under, there are negative and positive forms of capitalism. I would consider those who choose to manufacture guns and ammunition a negative business in the free-market system. So, since these people essentially make money off destruction, I would think they (guns and ammunition businesses) would be more than willing to chip in with a tax that would go toward health-care reform. Because when you think about it, one of the reasons why this country’s emergency-care facilities are on the brink of collapsing is because we have had a tremendous increase of gun-related injuries. This is what a progressive tax reform is: You heavily tax businesses that make their money off the suffering of other people.

T.J. JOHNSTON

Chairman of Anaheim-based

Gun Owners Action Committee

Tax on guns and ammo, no. A tax to build more prisons, yes. Because firearms are not a health hazard, criminals are. Guns are basically used to protect life, and I’m not afraid of them. I am afraid of socialized medicine and what kind of impact it could have on our system. Instead of blaming guns for the collapse of health care in this country, maybe the government should be more concerned about corruption and waste.

DAVE LEZAK

Salesman, Irvine

I’m not in favor of guns, period. With that said, I think it would be very appropriate to tax something like guns and ammo because, like cigarettes, the people who want to do this sort thing--own guns--have a vice that is not beneficial to society. Therefore, in my opinion, vices like this should be taxed if it will help health-care reform. It seems that if people can afford to dabble in gun ownership, which I understand can be expensive, then a tax on (guns) and the ammo that goes with (them) makes perfect sense. Anyway, maybe if people who own and use guns would have to start paying an additional tax, it might curb the proliferation of them.