Posted on 05/30/2008 7:16:38 PM PDT by neverdem
The mayor's proposals also include seizing cars used in gang activity and helping landlords evict people who illegally possess guns and ammunition.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Thursday unveiled plans to target gangs and guns -- including confiscating cars used in gang-related crimes -- with a series of new city ordinances.
The mayor proposed giving landlords the power to evict tenants convicted of using and possessing illegal weapons and ammunition. And he promised to push other new laws to regulate the purchase of ammunition and storage of weapons.
The proposed ordinances include banning .50-caliber, military-style ammunition; licensing ammunition vendors; requiring gun-store owners to make regular gun inventories and report to local law enforcement; and outlawing installation of secret gun compartments in vehicles.
"We're upping the ante," Villaraigosa said.
Chuck Michel, an attorney who represents the National Rifle Assn. and California Rifle Assn., called the mayor's proposals "a rehash."
"The bottom line is that the majority of these proposals have either been tried and failed elsewhere because they don't focus on the criminal or they are covered by proposed bills still being vetted by the Legislature," he said.
Michel added that a recent ruling drastically limits individual cities from regulating guns and ammunition.
Villaraigosa called for federal legislation that would include micro-stamping every bullet produced in the United States. Working with Councilman Jack Weiss, the mayor also proposed a measure to require that sales of ammunition in Los Angeles occur face to face, not over the Internet.
So far this year 670 people have been victims of guns crimes, and 70% of all shootings were gang-related, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Because landlords might fear retaliation from gang members, the city's legal team will work to force suspects who illegally possess weapons and ammunition out of their homes...
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
rat local governments don’t have the balls to take on gangs. They want to get them to trade in their guns for candy or sue them. If the rat runs your city and the gangs control it, move.
They will just steal cars when they need them.
your post reminds me:
about ten years ago the san diego police were conducting field ops with their buddies, the tijuana police on this side of the border.
some san diego cop smart-alec ran the vin #’s on the tj police cars.
some of them were stolen from the u.s.
si.
If the rights of landowners were consistently honored in other circumstances, then it might be an interesting question. Given that landowners' freedom of association is often held subservient to "rights" of prospective tenants in other less important ways, I see no reason to recognize it here.
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