Democratic Florida State Senator Tina Polsky wrote an op-ed in the Sun-Sentinel on Tuesday titled ‘A Sales Tax Holiday on Firearms Makes Us Less Safe’, drawing reactions from well-known names in gun control activism.
Fred Guttenberg, father of Jaime Guttenberg, the 14-year-old girl who was murdered by a gunman with an AR-15 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida on February 14, 2018, responded to Polsky’s op-ed.
Guttenberg wrote: “While you smartly cover why this is so wrong, the part of your article that really hit me and that I did not know is ‘By the way, the tax exemption for clothes and shoes has a $100 cap, but there is no cost cap for a firearm. Please explain that one.’”
Thank you @TinaPolsky for writing this op ed. While you smartly cover why this is so wrong, the part of your article that really hit me and that I did not know is “By the way, the tax exemption for clothes and shoes has a $100 cap, but there is no cost cap for a firearm. Please… pic.twitter.com/mrBhFzgcCt
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) July 9, 2025
Guttenberg added, “As for explaining that one, it is easy. They are evil and they do not care about making lives better or safer for Florida families.”
Note: In February 2020, House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) invited Mr. Guttenberg to attend President Trump’s State of the Union address. During the speech, when Trump said he would protect gun rights, Guttenberg was heard shouting from Pelosi’s box, and was asked to leave. The following day he apologized for the outburst, saying he let his emotions get the best of him.
Former Florida Congressman David Jolly, an ex-Republican turned registered Democrat now running in the 2026 Florida gubernatorial race, also amplified Polsky’s article and wrote: “In an affordability crisis, Florida’s new budget includes unlimited tax relief for firearm purchases, but caps relief for clothes and shoes at $100. Some things aren’t right vs left; they’re right vs wrong. Thank you Sen @TinaPolsky for your leadership.”
Note: As seen below, in February, Polsky led the Florida Senate in a moment of silence to honor the victims of shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Yesterday, Senator @TinaPolsky led us in a moment of silence honoring the victims of the horrific shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018. pic.twitter.com/ZkTYPa81Dd
— Florida Senate (@FLSenate) February 14, 2025