Republicans in the state of Arizona have introduced a proposal into the state House to eliminate sales tax on firearms and firearm related safety equipment.
HB 2166 has been introduced by state Representative Steve Kaiser(R) and it already has 4 co-sponsors. The legislation is aiming to strike Arizona’s 5.6% sales tax for firearms as well as remove local taxes on firearms. Included in the bill is also a measure to make firearm safety equipment exempt from sales tax, firearm safety equipment also goes beyond what we normally think of as it includes not just your eyes and ears but also safes, locks, and cases.Â
Rep. Kaiser told local media that the sales tax can be a major deterrent when buying a firearm and with the economy the way it is these days that’s not hard to believe. In some Arizona communities the sales tax reaches as high as 11% as a result of not only the state sales tax but the local sales tax, this adds up quickly and this all goes without mentioning the cost of guns these days.Â
Several states across the country already have measures like this including; South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Other states have sales tax exemptions on safety equipment, those states being; Maine, Texas, Tennessee, and Virginia.
