By: Teresa Mull

New Jersey Gov. Philip D. Murphy is proposing a plan to punish law-abiding gun owners by making it extremely expensive to own a gun.

The New York Times reports:

Though New Jersey has strict gun control laws, its firearms fees have not changed since the mid-1960s, making it a bargain for gun owners. A firearm identification card costs $5, while a permit to own a firearm is $2. A permit to carry a gun costs $20.

Mr. Murphy, a Democrat, has proposed fees that would be among the highest in the country. An identification card would cost $100, an owner’s permit would be $50 and a carry permit $400.

Besides raising fees on gun ownership, Mr. Murphy is also seeking an ammunition excise tax of 10 percent and a firearms excise tax of 2.5 percent. His proposals are part of the state budget, which the Legislature must pass by June 30.

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The Second Amendment, of course, guarantees “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Fees upward of $500 certainly sound like infringement to me, not to mention the fact that criminals who commit violent crimes are already not abiding by gun control laws already in place mandating background checks, waiting periods, etc.

Something tells me criminals won’t be lining up to pay $550 so they can carry their firearms legally before they commit crimes with them.

Teresa Mull is editor of Gunpowder Magazine. Contact her at [email protected].