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Firearms Sales Bring In Big Tax Money for Wildlife Agency

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CUMBERLAND, Md. (AP) - A state wildlife agency will get $1 million in federal funds from an excise tax on the sale of firearms and ammunition.

Paul Peditto, director of the Maryland Wildlife & Heritage Service, tells The Times-News of Cumberlandthat record firearms sales in the state the first nine months of 2013 means the service will get a 10 percent increase in its total budget.

The agency is a part of the Department of Natural Resources. Peditto says the agency has cut staff and operations in recent years because of fiscal difficulties.

Last month, Maryland State police said they had received more than 106,000 applications to purchase guns this year, compared with 70,000 applications processed last year.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.