SAN JOSE, Calif. — San Jose is a large city surrounded by rolling hills in the Silicon Valley, a major technology hub in California’s Bay Area. Now their City Council is taking unprecedented action against gun ownership.
The San Jose City Council unanimously approved new gun control measures in a vote Tuesday that will require all persons owning firearms citywide to carry liability insurance, and to pay an annual fee that would go toward supporting emergency services, ABC 7 reported.
“Call it what you want, but I say it punishes law abiding citizens who are exercising their constitutional rights,” said a gun owner who did not want to be identified. “Now I’ve got to buy insurance and pay a ‘fee’ because criminals use firearms? … Most of which are illegally obtained! What kind of government is this? If I refuse to abide by the rules of this Kangaroo court, I’ll do more jail time than the clown who’s out there robbing 7-11.”
Continuing, “It’s simply another method to turn good, honorable people into criminals without having an impact on individuals committing violent crimes,” he said. “And it’s sure to dissuade people from owning firearms, which is ultimately the goal.”
The city recently passed a local ordinance requiring retailers to video record all firearm purchases in the wake of the VTA Guadalupe light rail yard shooting in May that left eight victims dead. The suspect took his own life, Law Officer reported.
Now officials say San Jose is the first city in the state to implement laws requiring liability insurance. Moreover, the “annual fee” is simply a way to avoid saying “tax.” It will essentially act as a reimbursement fund for public safety. It was unclear what “fee” percentage would actually go to emergency services.
“We’ve got to do more to ensure that burdens are properly borne by those who choose to exercise their right to own a gun and to ensure that those fees and insurance requirements will incentivize safer gun ownership,” said San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo.
The Firearms Policy Coalition, which advocates for gun rights in Sacramento, says it’s already preparing to take legal action against San Jose. The mayor says the city will be ready for legal challenges, according to ABC.
“I’m confident that we’re on the right side of the constitution,” said Liccardo. “We’ve got a lot of smart attorneys that have been working with us, and a lot of organizations, and we’ll continue to push ahead.”
The San Francisco Chronicle described the new ordinance as the first “in the nation.”
Liccardo affirmed that violators would have their weapons confiscated, Post Millennial reported.
Councilwoman Maya Esparza voiced concerns about these new measures laying the groundwork for potential warrantless searches on gun owners, describing it as a “giant red flag.”
The unidentified gun owner believes it’s more than that.
“Maybe it’s a red flag with a hammer and sickle on it,” he said.