Substantial taxation of semi-automatic rifles and handguns would discourage their usage, save lives and raise needed revenues for the federal budget.
A tax of $10,000 per transaction should be levied upon the acquisition of any semi-automatic handgun or rifle by any non-governmental entity or licensed security company. This tax should be levied on all sales and upon all illegal acquisitions of such firearms.
An annual tax should be levied upon the legal private ownership (excepting licenses security companies) of $1,000 per semi-automatic handgun or rifle. Such weapons illegally held would be taxed at a rate of $10,000.
Evasion of either of these taxes should be a felony, punishable by a mandatory 20 year sentence and a fine of ten times the tax evaded.
Revenues would go to the budget