I just don’t know how to describe this proposal by Rep. Steve Drazkowski (R-Mazeppa), other than a really dumb idea:

A Republican legislator wants to take state tax money collected by Internet retailers and use it to give Minnesotans a sales tax holiday on guns, ammunition and hunting gear….

House Taxes Committee Chairman Greg Davids, R-Preston, is pushing the so-called “Amazon tax,” which would require Internet retailers to collect state taxes, a proposal that has withstood heavy opposition from Amazon and other online merchants. Davids said he prefers a federal solution, but doesn’t see one on the horizon.

…Minnesota Revenue Department officials estimate that requiring Internet retailers to collect sales tax in the same way brick-and-mortar retailers do would bring in as much as $5 million next year alone. Drazkowski figures that’s enough to create a weeks-long tax break to those purchasing outdoor gear.

I support extending sales taxes to Internet sales. That’s long overdue. But Drazkowski’s proposed tax break for guns and ammo is just plain bizarre.

First of all, we owe our schools over one billion dollars.Shouldn’t any extra money be put aside to pay them back?

Second, what exactly is the supposed benefit of a targeted tax break for guns? Why target it at something so specific? And if we did target some specific type of product, why guns? I’m completely missing how this would benefit the state.

I don’t have any way to sugarcoat it: this is just plain dumb.