COLORADO — A new Colorado excise tax is on this year's November ballot. It's called Proposition KK, asking voters to decide to tax retail sales of firearms.
If voters approve it, buying guns and ammunition could be more expensive in the state.
Lawmakers want to use the tax revenue to fund mental health services, crime victim services, and school safety programs.
"Once, I was hit. Just went to the ground. Pop! The second one came. Pop!" said Chooch Wilson.
In 2006, Wilson experienced gun violence. The bullet went through his leg. He had to learn how to walk again.
"All the muscles got cut out," Wilson said.
Wilson says, however, he was struggling with his mental health after the violence.
"You wake up six times a night. Some people say it's PTSD, and I would say it's more than that," Wilson said.
Proposition KK is expected to generate $39 million in the first full year.
Wilson says he supports the idea of more mental health services.
"We all need it. I don't care how strong you are. I don't care how tough you are," Wilson said.
Paradise Sales gun store owner Paul Paradis says he's against Proposition KK.
"This is not anything to be fair," Paradis said.
Right now, the federal excise tax is 10% for handguns and 11% for all other firearms and ammunition. If voters approve this new state excise tax, firearms sellers must pay an additional 6.5%.
Paradis says that's an additional burden on gun owners.
"That's going to keep a lot of people who have less incomes to buy something affordable," Paradis said.
He says it's not fair to tax certain businesses to fix the mental health problems in Colorado.
If Colorado voters approve the new excise tax, it would take effect next April.
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