The Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration (Pittman-Robertson – P-R) Act of September 2, 1937, 16 U.S.C. 669 et seq. put a dedicated excise tax on firearms (including assault rifles) and ammunition that requires states to pitch in millions of dollars.  The P-R Act apportions firearms excise taxes to states depending on the area of the state and the number of hunting licenses the state sells.  The apportionment can only be used for wildlife management projects that promote more use of firearms via hunting.  The state has to contribute $1 for every $3 received from the P-R apportionment.  The Act created a self-serving economy that has turned animals into victims of hunters to generate more use of firearms to keep the self-serving scheme going.  Unlike excise taxes on alcohol and tobacco, which go to the General Fund of the state, the excise tax on firearms stays within the wildlife management division to promote more use of firearms via hunting!  Wildlife is managed to be victims of less than 3% of the population that hunts. The NYS taxpayers have contributed millions of dollars to this scheme. We urge NYS to not divert our taxes to wildlife management bureaus, and to use all funds to battle the coronavirus and lift up the struggling economy.  Please contact your legislators and Governor Cuomo as budget discussions are in progress.