John Tedesco with the San Antonio Express-News and Brandi Grissom and Matt Stiles with the Tribune have this very interesting article on the cost of getting a concealed handgun permit in Texas.
But like many of his neighbors on the low-income South Side, Hartsfield hasn't applied for a gun permit, which costs $140 for the license fee and $100 or more for the 10-hour instruction class. . . .
But in a pattern that's playing out in San Antonio and other major cities in Texas, residents in low-income neighborhoods aren't taking advantage of the concealed-carry law as often as residents living in wealthier, more conservative areas.
The pattern surprises some gun owners, who wonder why more law-abiding citizens aren't applying for concealed handgun licenses in the inner city, where rates of violent crimes are higher. . . . .
The Texas Tribune version of the story has much more detailed information here.
This is the point that I have been trying to make with my research for years. Higher permit fees and the costs of getting training not only reduce the number of permit holders, but they also make it so those who benefit the most from permits don't get them. Both of those reasons work to reduce the benefit from right-to-carry laws.
Some evidence on how high permit fees impact who gets permits
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