Santorum Campaign Press Release - Massachusetts Gun Owner: "Voting for Romney Was the Biggest Mistake of My Life"

Verona, PA - While Mitt Romney tries to tell heartland voters that he's one of them; his record speaks of a northeast liberal governor who tried to trample on Second Amendment rights.

As Governor, Mitt Romney Targeted Gun Owners For Higher Taxes

In 2003, Then-Gov. Romney Increased Payments From Gun Owners To The State, Calling It A Fee Instead Of A Tax. "If you own a gun or a boat, kill termites or teach horseback riding for a living or just want to learn to drive, you may have to pay more for a state permit." (John J. Monahan, "Romney Asks For Fee Hikes," Telegram & Gazette, 2/28/03)

• "Romney Proposes Raising [The State Firearm Registration Fee] From $25 To $75 On The 200,000 State Residents Who Hold Firearm Identification Cards."(Joanna Weiss, "Romney Proposals On Fees Draw Fire," The Boston Globe, 2/28/03)

Romney Denied The Additional Funds Gun Owners Paid To The State Was A Tax, Since Only "A Subset Of The Population" - I.E. Gun Owners - Had To Pay. Romney: "I'm not going to try and be the dictionary here, in terms of defining the difference between a fee and a tax. For me, generally, a fee is something which applies to a subset of the population. ... A tax is something which is far more broadly applied." (Ken Maguire, "Governor Says Proposed New, Higher Fees Are Not Taxes," The Associated Press, 2/27/03)

Bay State Gun Owners Recognized Romney's Fee As A Tax Increase

When Romney Raised Sportsmen's License Fees, The Massachusetts Conservation Alliance Stated "We Consider It A Tax On Hunters." "Environmentalists and hunters said they are not only concerned about the potential loss of federal aid, but the fact that budget-makers would take fees assessed to hunters and spend the money as they wish. 'We consider it a tax on hunters,' said James Wallace, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Conservation Alliance, a newly formed group of sportsmen and wildlife preservationists." (Erik Arvidson, "Feds Warn State On Improper Use Of Fees," Lowell Sun, 10/3/03)

A Gun Owners Action League Spokesman Called The Fee Increase "A Tax On Your Rights." "Some constituent groups are already questioning whether Romney's specific fees are fair. James Wallace, spokesman for the Gun Owners Action League, said his organization considers the statefirearm registration fee - which Romney proposes raising from $25 to $75 - to be a tax on the 200,000 state residents who hold firearm identification cards. 'It's not a service,' Wallace said. 'It's a tax on your rights. We're not getting anything.'" (Joanna Weiss, "Romney Proposals On Fees Draw Fire," The Boston Globe, 2/28/03)

• The Gun Owners Action League's Jim Wallace: "It's Not A Fee. It's A Tax On An Individual's Right To Bear Arms In Massachusetts."(Ken Maguire, "Governor Says Proposed New, Higher Fees Are Not Taxes," The Associated Press, 2/27/03)

Gun Owners Action League Executive Director Michael Yacino: "In General, The Government Has Failed To Meet Its Obligations And Now It's Passing The Buck. ... It Just Shows They Don't Have Any Answers."(Casey Ross, "Fee Hikes More Than Nickels And Dimes," The Patriot Ledger, 7/9/03)

After Gun License Fees Skyrocketed Under Romney, One Massachusetts Gun Owner Said Voting For Him Was "The Biggest Mistake Of My Life" - "I've Been Kicking (Myself) For Voting For That Jerk." "Donn A. Boulanger voted for W. Mitt Romney because he liked the Republican candidate's stance against raising taxes. But, as he stared down the barrel of a $75 increase in the fee for his gun license yesterday, Boulanger called the vote 'the biggest mistake of my life.' He said, 'I bought his deal, but in the last six months, I've been kicking (myself) for voting for that jerk. He's trying to solve the state's problems by taking things out on the people.'" (Fred Contrada, "Area Gun Lovers Mad At Romney," The [Springfield, MA] Republican, 7/10/03)