Assault weapon confiscation could cost New York state $1 billion

Which would you rather have, less guns or more funds?

New York State Says Assault Weapon Confiscation Could Cost $1 Billion

Via NYPost

New York state can’t afford to confiscate all the assault rifles out there.

The number of such military-style weapons in the state — including the New York-made Bushmaster used in the Sandy Hook massacre — is at least 1 million, far higher than even some local criminal-justice experts realize, gun-industry experts say.

And given that the weapons are worth $1,000 or more apiece, a buyback would cost the state at least $1 billion, since even Cuomo administration officials concede that their owners would have to be compensated financially.

“The cost of confiscation would make it impracticable, if there’s anything approaching a million of them, putting aside the other issues that would be involved,’’ said one Cuomo administration source.

Joke’s on the Gov.

Last week, Gov. Cuomo suggested during a radio interview that “confiscation could be an option’’ when developing a newly restrictive policy on assault-style rifles.

While a Cuomo aide estimated their number at just 30,000, industry experts who have firsthand knowledge of gun sales in New York over many years say there are “at least’’ a million semiautomatic rifles modeled on the military’s M16s legally in the hands of New Yorkers.

We understand that people want to get these weapons off the streets ASAP, but it would be shame to spend ALL that money, which schools desperately need, on paying people for their weapons.

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