Mass. looks to hike fees on gun owners

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has proposed a slew of fee increases on gun-owners:

Gun rights advocates are fuming over a raft of increased licensing fees proposed over the weekend by Gov. Deval Patrick, each of which at least double existing assessments.

The proposal, included in a supplemental budget, would increase to $200 from $100 the cost of licensing a firearm, and increase by the same amount the cost of renewing a license, which has to be done every six years. In addition, the bill would establish a new annual $100 fee for license holders interested in selling, renting or leasing firearms.
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“This is just ridiculous,” said Jim Wallace, executive director of the Gun Owners Action League. “Our supporters would see this as a direct attempt to basically tax citizens out of their civil rights. This may push people to the edge of civil disobedience and they’ll just keep and bear arms. The government has pushed the local citizen to the edge to where they can’t comply anymore.”

Even one gun control advocate said the proposed fee increase may be too much.
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Lawmakers who support gun ownership blasted the fees as unaffordable for some and said they would unfairly penalize law-abiding citizens.

“Give me a kid who’s into hunting and fishing and I will give you a kid who’s not doing crack cocaine down on a street corner,” said Sen. Stephen Brewer, D-Barre.

Brewer, vice chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, said he would wield his influence to try to strip the supplemental budget of the fees in committee.

“This appears to be a punitive, large amount,” he said. “I will make my voice heard.”

Rep. Dennis Guyer, D-Dalton, a licensed firearm carrier himself, said existing fees were already a burden on gun owners, let alone a twofold increase.

“It’s going to put a heavy, heavy burden on these folks who enjoy hunting and like to carry the personal protection,” he said, noting that some residents in his district, such as security personnel, are required to carry weapons for their jobs.

Wrentham Republican Rep. Richard Ross, who also has a license to carry, said the governor seemed to be making an end run around a recent Supreme Court decision affirming the right of individuals to own guns.

“Not everyone that has a handgun and has a lawful right to carry it is wealthy,” he said.

See here for details (hat tip to Ken R.) on the proposed fee increases. Massachusetts legislators generally get all warm and fuzzy in support of most tax increases and gun-control schemes, so don't expect a whole lot of outrage from most of the democrat-controlled legislature over emptying law-abiding gun owners' pockets.