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Seattle's Tax On Guns And Ammo Withstands Court Test

caption: Guns line the walls of the firearms reference collection at the Washington Metropolitan Police Department headquarters in Washington, D.C.
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Guns line the walls of the firearms reference collection at the Washington Metropolitan Police Department headquarters in Washington, D.C.
AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Seattle’s tax on every gun and bullet sold in the city can stay, a King County Superior Court judge said Tuesday.

Judge Palmer Robinson denied a request by firearms advocates for an injunction against the measure. Approved by the City Council in August, it requires dealers to pay $25 for every gun sold and up to 5 cents for every round of ammunition sold.

The Bellevue-based Second Amendment Foundation, the National Rifle Association and two Seattle gun stores joined a lawsuit against the city in an attempt to block the tax. In a statement, Second Amendment Foundation said it would appeal the ruling.

Materials submitted with the legislation say the City Budget Office has estimated that the tax could raise up to $500,000 for research on gun violence and prevention programs.

"We established the gun violence tax as a legitimate and appropriate way to raise revenue for gun safety research and prevention programs,” said City Council President Tim Burgess, who sponsored the measure.

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