Politics & Government

'Violence Tax' Goes into Effect in Cook County

A lawsuit supported in part by Chuck's Gun Shop in south suburban Riverdale is not enough to get in the way of President Preckwinkle's new $25 firearm sales tax.

A $25 tax is being added to the purchase of all firearms sold in Cook County. The news comes in spite of a lawsuit filed by several Chicago-area gun dealers, including Chuck’s Gun Shop in Riverdale.

The new tax, launched April 1, is part of a policy instated by Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle to help fund the Cook County Health and Hospitals System. At their flagship, Stroger Hospital, more than 30 percent of the trauma center patients are gunshot victims, each costing roughly $50,000 to treat, according to Preckinkle. The $600,000 expected annual revenue from the tax will ideally help offset those costs, reports Sun-Times Media.

"This new policy will help us provide more resources to our vital public health system, which on a daily basis has to treat the victims of gun violence," Preckwinkle said. “I know this tax will not unilaterally solve the violence issue we face here in Chicago and other parts of Cook County, but it is without a doubt a necessary piece of the puzzle." 

Find out what's happening in La Grangewith free, real-time updates from Patch.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here