As part of the Executive Budget, currently under consideration by your lawmakers, Governor George Pataki has proposed a licensing fee scheme that amounts to nothing more than a TAX on law-abiding gun owners!

Provisions in Budget Bills S.6056/A.9556 would require handgun licensees to pay a $100 "certification" fee to the state, would repeal current lifetime licenses instead instituting a 5-year expiration period, and charge fees of $25 for renewals, amendments, transfers, and duplicates. If that's not bad enough, this proposal would remove the caps on local processing fees, which means they can certainly be expected to rise, and in many jurisdictions would soar high enough to price gun owners, sportsmen and women, and collectors right out of the market. Instead of banning handguns, this proposal simply would work toward making it too expensive to own them.

This proposal is not about enhancing public safety, but about limiting the rights of law-abiding citizens with the added bonus of having gun owners help balance the budget! Under New York's current licensing system, applicants are already among the most scrutinized in the nation and if they are qualified and granted a license, the laws they abide by in New York are among the most stringent gun laws in the nation - so it stands to reason that handgun licensees in this state are law abiding people. If public safety were at issue, efforts would continue to focus on targeting illegal gun possession and illegal gun use.

Lawmakers in Albany are currently considering the budget, so there is no time to waste! Please contact your state senator, XXXX XXXXX, TODAY at (518)-XXX-XXXX and ask him to oppose this PUNITIVE TAX. Respectfully urge Senator VVVVVV to reject Governor Pataki's plan to balance the budget on the backs of gun owners.