Posted on 05/21/2008 11:25:52 AM PDT by neverdem
RE-REGISTER | Mayor wants number on city's firearms
Mayor Daley said today he's all for the idea of temporarily re-opening gun registration in Chicago -- not as a favor to Ald. Richard Mell (33rd), but to get a realistic handle on the number of guns in Chicago.
A former hunter, Mell is proposing a one-month amnesty after he forgot to re-register his arsenal of shotguns, rifles and pistols as required every year by the ordinance he helped to pass.
During the month-long window, gun owners who attempted to re-register their guns between May 1, 2007 and April 1, 2008 only to be rejected on grounds the registrations had lapsed would be allowed to re-register without penalty.
On Tuesday, Daley endorsed the idea without reservation. The mayor said Mell is not alone. A lot of gun owners have ignored the re-registration requirement and find themselves in the same predicament.
"A lot of people go back and forth to their summer homes ... A lot of people move their shotguns. A lot of 'em are bird hunters, gun collectors. ... They move 'em back from Wisconsin, Michigan, [other] parts of Illinois," the mayor said.
Referring to the proposed gun amnesty, Daley said, "It's one time [for] one month ... You want to have 'em register. There's nothing wrong with that ... People want to just register. A lot of 'em bring 'em back from hunting trips. So, why not?"
Earlier this week, Mell acknowledged that he knew about the re-registration requirement and should have complied with it. He said he delegated the responsibility to a staff member, who apparently dropped the ball.
On Tuesday, Daley defended Mell, who is the estranged father-in-law of Gov. Blagojevich.
"He has a home in Wisconsin. He brings 'em back and forth. He's not running out with a shotgun and hurting people," the mayor said.
Daley denied that the month-long amnesty would send the wrong message at a time when Chicago's murder rate is up 9 percent and dozens of young people have been injured or killed by gun violence.
"No it doesn't," he said.
Chicago's ban on new handguns -- and a companion requirement that all existing guns be re-registered every year -- was pushed through the City Council in 1982 in the wake of the assassination attempts on former President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II and the death of two police officers.
The number of registered guns has steadily plummeted ever since.
Most gun owners have apparently decided that it's too much trouble to re-register their weapons every year. And tens of thousands of additional weapons have been purchased or inherited since the freeze took effect and brought into Chicago illegally.
Proposals to re-open gun registration in Chicago and create a three-to-six month amnesty have been kicking around City Hall for nearly 20 years.
In 1991, then-Police Superintendent LeRoy Martin endorsed the idea to get a realistic handle on the actual number of weapons in the city. At the time, Daley said he had an open mind about it, only to drop it like a hot potato after a few high-profile murders.
"You have to re-new your registration certificate annually 60 days prior to the current registration [deadline]. If you don't do that, the firearm is unregisterable," said Law Department spokesperson Jennifer Hoyle.
Here's the previous thread:
Oh, shoot! (Chicago alderman changes gun law to void his violation)
It’s all just undue harassment!
During the recent voter-ID arguments, the left tried to equate it with the poll tax. The poll tax under discussion was in Virginia in the late 1960s. It's cost was $1.50, IIRC. That was too much for a basic right; therefore, SCOTUS said it was un-Constitutional.
CRAWFORD et al. v. MARION COUNTY ELECTION BOARD et al.
We'll know the results of D.C. v. Heller in a month. Say a prayer.
Paging Henry Bowman
You’re desperately needed in Chicago.
Heck, if $1.50 is too much for a poll tax, then $200 is FAR too much for a stamp tax.
Henry moved due to unwarranted intrusion of personal liberties.
In other words Henry has left the state.
This is Chicago we're talking about. You can't fart in that city without some type of fee being assessed on you.
Are Illinois gun owners really so stupid?
Screw that...better to have just stayed as a scofflaw from the beginning.
Nope, just those that want to live in Chicago.
This registration of Long Guns has been a law 'forever' ('82), but most Chicagoans don't even know about it. So *technically* they've all been Felons.
And handguns forget it, just Politicians like this DICK Mell can get their registration approved by the Chicago Police Dept. And by Chi. gun laws even a CAP PISTOL is supposed to be registered every year.
$20 for 1 firearm
$25 for 2 - 10
$35 for more than 10
Keep in mind, if you purchased your firearms at different times during the year, you must register them 30 days from purchase. For example, if you purchased 3 weapons in June and another in December, you have to register them separately - instead of paying $25 for 4 firearms, you end up paying $45 for 4. The City of Chicago wants to squeeze every last dime out of its subjects.
As far as I know, you can still fart in the city; however you must now file an EPA impact statement. This has put a damper on food fests featuring brats and chili. /sarc
Do you have a source for the annual firearm registration fees in Chicago?
Like the criminals are ever going to register “their” firearms. Sheesh.
Silly Freeper. This law wasn't intended to do anything about people who were already criminals.
It was intended to create more criminals out of thin air....
Ayn Rand, call your office.
L
Chicago Police Department at 35th St. and Michigan Ave.
How true.
I’m just glad that I don’t live in Chicago....
Obama can have it.
I live near Chicago, and, during April and May, I heard many people say that Illinois needs more gun control laws, because of the increased number of shootings in April. Gun laws aren’t the answer. In Chicago, no one, except police officers and aldermen are allowed to own handguns. Chicago has a higher murder rate (number of murders per 100,000 people) than New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Denver, Phoenix, and Miami. New York City has more than twice as many people as Chicago, but, during four of the last six years, Chicago had more murders. The criminals go to other towns, buy guns, and bring them to Chicago, knowing that the law-abiding people can’t defend themselves.
According to the Index of Leading Cultural Indicators, by William Bennett, in 1960, about 10% of American babies were born out of wedlock. In 1991, the percentages were 65%, for Blacks; 30%, for Hispanics; and 25%, for Whites. When only one parent raises a child, it’s harder to teach the kid good morals, especially since many single mothers work two or three jobs, to make ends meet. When parents aren’t with their kids, many of their teenagers become criminals. Government can’t do much to change this. Each American should be more responsible and not conceive children until they’re married. Single fathers should show that care more about their kids by paying child support and spending more time with their kids.
Not strictly true. If one registered a handgun prior to the date the Registration Ordnance went into effect (1976 I believe), and continuously re-registered it every year, then one can own a handgun. However Chicago refuses to process any NEW registrations whatsoever for 'civilians'.
L
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