Proposed 11% gun sales tax could threaten Eastern Shore stores warn lawmakers

SALISBURY, Md – Eastern Shore lawmakers say a bill in the state senate to increase taxes on establishments that sell firearms to help pay for trauma care may force companies to move their operations to avoid the tax.

Senator Mary Beth Carozza introduced an amendment to exempt stores with 15 or fewer employees like Wink’s Sporting Goods in Princess Anne, but it failed to be adopted.

“That has, you know, six full-time employees, part-time employees there supporting those families, this is a business When you talk to Jamie Wink, he was talking about expanding and his concern now is if this tax at 11% goes through that, he starts to think about, does he have to go over the line to Virginia or to Delaware where there’s no sales tax and rethink his operations,” Carozza said.

She tells 47ABC she will continue to push for amendments that can help to bring relief to small businesses as the bill moves forward.