‘A very liberating feeling’ – but not for the majority
A retroactive sales tax exemption for shooting range fees and membership dues just cleared the Senate on a 27-8 vote, but not without a lot of debate. Several senators noted that the bill, HB 686, would treat shooting clubs differently from all other clubs. Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, asked, “Why should we treat a gun club differently than my golf club?” Sen. Gerry Sweet, R-Meridian, the bill’s sponsor, said gun clubs provide “a great public benefit” by providing firearms education. “There’s no similarity,” he said.
Sen. Dick Compton, R-Coeur d’Alene, noted that he’s not running for re-election, and when you’re not seeking re-election, “You can vote exactly how you feel about it and not worry about who’s going to send out a letter against you.” That, he said, “is a very liberating feeling,” and he voted against the tax break. The bill now goes to the governor.
