Give hunters tax breaks for guns, ammo?

A sales tax giveaway to people who want to buy guns and ammo for hunting season? You’re kidding, right?

Hunting season — for dove and deer, especially — is something a lot of Texans look forward to. It’s fun for them, and through everything from hunting leases, to wildlife management, to retail sales of hunting supplies, it’s great for the state’s economy.

But should taxpayers subsidize hunters? Is there a demonstrated need? A pocket of would-be hunters who if they only had a tax break could finally feed their starving families?

No. This is a recreational activity, no more special than dozens of others. There’s no need to boost it with a sales tax holiday as some legislators have proposed.

State Reps. Chris Paddie, R-Marshall; Jeff Leach, R-Plano; and Drew Springer, R-Muenster; and Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, have proposed sales tax holidays for hunters.

A broad sales tax holiday each August exempts clothes, shoes, school supplies and backpacks. It benefits many people, especially those sending kids back in school.

The comptroller’s office says shoppers saved an estimated $82.7 million in state and local sales taxes during the holiday last August.

This year’s holiday is Aug. 7-9.

Plenty of legislators say Texans deserve a tax break, and the state probably can afford it. The comptroller estimates that general revenues will exceed expenses by $7.5 billion when the fiscal year ends in August.

But if there are tax breaks, they should benefit a broad base of Texas taxpayers, not just hunters or any other targeted group.

This story was originally published February 23, 2015 at 4:55 PM with the headline "Give hunters tax breaks for guns, ammo?."