Some Good News for a Change by Jim Shepherd

gengberg August 26th, 2009

SOME Good News - for a change
Today, the best news is news that impacts your wallet or pocketbook positively. And it’s always good to be able to share some good news with our readers. There’s entirely too-much bad news, even for a news guy.In Louisiana, the Annual Second Amendment Weekend Holiday has been approved by the legislature. It is, simply put, a tax break on state and local sales and use taxes for consumer purchases of firearms, ammunition and hunting supplies. Not that’s for consumer purchases, not commercial ones.

It’s a really big deal this year as the dates (Friday, September 4-through midnight Sunday, September 6) coincide with the Labor Day weekend. Personally, I think it’s a really big deal because it shows that not all government officials are in unified against firearms nor individual freedoms.

I also like the definition of hunting supplies:

“Hunting supplies” mean purchases of tangible personal property for the use in hunting, including but not limited to archery, off-road vehicles, and vessels such as ATVs, airboats, and pirogues, accessories, animal feed, apparel, shoes, bags, float tubes, binoculars, tools, firearm and archery cases, firearm and archery accessories, range finders, knives, decoys, treestands, blinds, chairs, optics, hearing protection and enhancements, holsters, belts, slings and miscellaneous gear.

That just about covers it all - and “but not limited to” leaves wiggle room to give everyone enough latitude to buy for his or her favorite sport. Even birders and other non-harvesting outdoor enthusiasts can get in on the deals with optics, tools, and miscellaneous gear.

There are a several incentives to go ahead and make the purchases, and few drawbacks.

If you place an article in layaway for future delivery, it qualifies for the discount, as do items paid for and picked up from layaway. Purchases made with “rain checks” during the weekend are qualified for the incentives, but rain checks issued during the weekend will not be qualified for the tax incentive.

And, a post-holiday exchange of merchandise without additional cash considerations for an essentially identical item of a different size, caliber, color or other feature, won’t create a tax liability. An exchange for an entirely different item -or a credit- means the taxes must be paid on the item.

All in all, a pretty good deal for all involved- and a much-needed stimulus for retailers. We all could use a similar break.

No tip of the hat, however, to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania’s administration. A new firearms ordinance there requires all Civil War re-enactors and veteran’s groups that discharge firearms in the borough to pay an annual $20 fee, obtain a permit and show proof of insurance.

Among the groups most displeased at this new regulation - the veteran’s organizations that fire salutes at military funerals. Looks like government has finally found a way to silence the firearms at Gettysburg.

A polite nod - and a tip of the hat- to the California Fish & Game Commission after they voted not to expand the ban on the use of lead ammunition to the taking of small and migratory upland game in the range of the California Condor.

The Commission also recommended against an expansion of the lead ban, meaning hunters can still use lead ammo for small and upland game. California Department of Fish and Game was required to offer the expansion of the ban as part of the settlement of what had been a longstanding lawsuit filed by several environmental organizations.

Big game hunting in the California Condor range still requires the use of non-toxic ammo.

If you thought most shooters were some sort of elite group that belonged to private shooting facilities, research would indicate that you are incorrect. New research from HunterSurvey.com and TargetShootingSurvey.com indicates that fewer than a quarter of shooters actually belong to a shooting range or sporting clays club.

The largest number of respondents (35%) say they’re not members because there’s a nearby public facility that is either free or low-cost. Twenty-eight percent of respondents found cost to be a serious barrier, and twenty-six percent cited distance as one reason they didn’t belong.

The respondents who were members of shooting or sporting clays clubs were overwhelmingly satisfied with their facilities the way they are (78%), but more than a quarter said they’d like to see more competitions, and a similar number said shooting benches or equipment designed to fit women or young people would be improvements they’d support. Those improvements finished significantly higher than cleaner restrooms (19%) improved food and beverage options (18%), more expert advice (16%) and different types of rental or loaner firearms.

Tomorrow, a look at a positive story of the outdoors -in the mainstream media- and a look at the man who says he’s moved “from the hoods to the woods” - John Annoni.

In the meantime, we’ll keep you posted.

–Jim Shepherd

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