Illinois Gun Tax Approved

Cook County, Illinois, has one of the highest crime rates in the country, and local government officials aren't pleased about it. One way they hope to curb the violence -- and generate needed revenue -- is through a gun tax. Last week, the Board of Commissioners overwhelmingly approved what has been called the violence tax in a 16 to 1 vote.

Sales of new firearms will be taxed at $25 come April 1, 2013. Board Commissioner President Toni Preckwinkle had originally hoped to include a 5 cent-per-bullet ammunition tax in the budget, but she eliminated that proposal in order to gain approval for the gun tax.

Preckwinkle's justification for the "violence tax" is unequivocal:

"Gun violence is a real problem for us. It's a problem for us in our criminal justice system and it's a problem for us in our health care system, and I make no apologies for the proposal."