Tallahassee gun shop owners are touting a proposal from Governor Ron DeSantis to create a state sales tax holiday for firearms and ammunition.
Governor Ron DeSantis included the tax break pitch in his proposed budget that he unveiled in a news conference Monday.
“Why would they want to fight back on that? This is something that their voters would expect them to support,” DeSantis said in response to whether he expects pushback from the Florida Legislature on the newly proposed sales tax holiday.
Governor DeSantis Proposes the ‘Focus on Fiscal Responsibility’ State Budget https://t.co/ReIRdH9mSi
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) February 3, 2025
The "Second Amendment Summer" would allow sales-tax-free purchases for guns and ammunition from Memorial Day to the Fourth of July.
Curtis Burnham is the owner of Arrowhead Survival, a gun shop in Tallahassee. He told WFSU on Tuesday that his business tends to slow down after tax return season.
“During this time of the year, it tends to be a little bit slower," he said.
Arrowhead customers spend hundreds of dollars on guns each year. Burnham hopes the sales tax holiday would mean that spending would continue into the summer.
"[DeSantis] gives us a tax holiday, that’s 7.5% that can go towards anything our customers want on ammunition and guns. That’s going to be huge.”
DeSantis also proposed several other sale tax holidays including for marine fuel. The governor is also urging lawmakers to continue tax breaks for school and disaster supplies.
DeSantis’ “Focus on Fiscal Responsibility” budget proposal totals $115.6 billion and provides $2.2 billion in tax relief.
"Florida’s steadfast commitment to fiscal conservatism is why we are in such good financial shape,” said DeSantis. “Florida has experienced historic success by keeping government spending low while balancing significant investments in meaningful initiatives.
The Florida Legislature will weigh in on the proposals during the legislative session that kicks off next month.
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