Project Stage 3

PPA-593

Module 1: Stage Project 1: Proposal

Research Proposal

Background

Previous reports show that one in every 100 people in the United States, almost 88%, possess guns. In total, it is stated that over 27,000,000 own guns, which is the largest capital in the world. Chicago approved a tax on firearms on to help pay healthcare costs from gun violence, making it what is believed to be the first major U.S. metropolitan area to enact such a levy as a form of gun control.

The policy that I intend to address is the Cook County Firearm and Firearm Ammunition Tax Ordinance. Effective April 1, 2013, as provided in Sections 74-665 thru 74-675, Firearm Tax Ordinance, a tax is imposed on the retail purchase of a firearm in the amount of $25.00 for each firearm purchased. Any retail dealer shall register with the Department in the form and manner prescribed by the Department. Policies, rules and procedures for the registration process and forms shall be prescribed by the Department.

Once registered, dealers will receive a packet including the pre-printed Firearm Tax Returns and Schedules issued by the Department that are required to remit on a monthly basis.

It shall be the duty of every retail dealer to remit and report the tax due on sales of firearms purchased in Cook County on forms prescribed by the Department.

In 2015, Guns Save Life Inc., a firearms owner’s rights lobby group, led a challenge to Cook County’s Firearm Tax Ordinance and one of its amendments. Under the policy, the county collects a $25 tax on every firearm sold in the county and a penny or nickel per ammunition cartridge. The plaintiffs said the taxes violate their Second and 14th amendment rights, as well as the Illinois Constitution.

The county asked the judge to dismiss the lawsuit. After Cook County Circuit Judge David B. Atkins partially granted that motion, both parties moved for summary judgment. In an opinion issued Aug. 17, Atkins ruled in favor of the county.

Hypothesis

If a larger Firearm and Firearm Ammunition Tax is implemented, will this help reduce gun violence?

Methods

In this case, the policy requires extensive research by the use of questionnaires and interviews going around the community inquiring about violent activities that have taken place in the past. I plan to interview 2 persons, Cook County Circuit Judge David B. Atkins and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, if possible. I chose these two because they played a huge role in keeping this ordinance alive. The key population targeted in this case are firearms dealers.

Costs

Even though the tax ordinance was expected to raise $600,000 in revenue in 2013, healthcare costs without the ordinance were projected at $34,840,000 according to the number of gunshot victims in 2012 (670) and the cost per patient at $54,000 each.

References

Ludwig, J., & Cook, P. J. (Eds.). (2004). Evaluating gun policy: Effects on crime and violence. Brookings Institution Press.

Godwin, M. L., & Schroedel, J. R. (2000). Policy diffusion and strategies for promoting policy change: Evidence from California local gun control ordinances. Policy Studies Journal, 28(4), 760-776.