I get that taxes should be used to pay for services people use - like a toll road pays for the road itself. HOWEVER - experience has shown that taxes are typically NOT earmarked for anything - they go into a big pile and any effort to direct money for this or that disappears due to some kind of expedience. Hence, revenue from gambling in Maryland does NOT go to education - tolls on roads in Maryland are not directed to fix roads.
But I detest the idea that a tax is levied because the government wants to discourage you from doing something.
Such a tax is disgraceful. If you don't think so - if you think taxing gun OWNERSHIP - rather than even purchases - is ok, try to imagine a world where extreme right wing leaders can tax any behavior THEY don't like.
More and more I am favoring some kind of consumption tax combined with a flat tax.
I already find it revolting that the government thinks it has the right to tax you just for OWNING something.