Wants to Re-write Illegal Gun Rationing Ordinance

Please immediately email, call, or fax the Mayor and City Council of Jersey City to voice your opposition to Ordinance # 06-116 - Jersey City’s latest attempt to rewrite its illegal one gun a month rationing scheme, scheduled for a vote on Wednesday, October 11.

Please also attend the October 11 public hearing and make your voice heard! You need to sign up immediately in order to speak (see details below).

The new ordinance is a replacement for Ordinance # 06-082, which was passed on June 28 and is the subject of a pre-emption lawsuit commenced by the Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs and several individual plaintiffs over the summer.

The new ordinance is apparently intended to correct technical defects in the original ordinance, but fails to address the law’s fatal defect - the fact that it is pre-empted by New Jersey state law and violates equal protection.

The new ordinance goes even further than the original, adding a new provision that makes Jersey City residents criminals if they purchase or apply to purchase more than one handgun within 30 days, even if the purchases are made lawfully under state or federal law.

It also further targets Jersey City’s lone gun dealer, Caso’s Gun-A-Rama, by imposing an impossible burden of ascertaining whether a purchaser has in fact purchased or made application to purchase a handgun within the previous 30 days.

It is important that you speak out not only to support Jersey City gun owners, but also to send a signal to other municipalities that may be considering similar measures that they will face vigorous opposition.

If you wish to speak at the hearing, please call the Jersey City Office of the City Clerk at (201) 547-5150 to be placed on the speakers list for the October 11 meeting. Speakers are selected in sign-up order. You will not be able to speak unless you sign up in advance.

If you don’t wish to speak, please attend anyway and show your support simply by being there.

The meeting will be held on October 11 at 6:00 pm at Jersey City Hall, 280 Grove Street, 2^nd floor, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302.

Contact information for Mayor Healy and the members of the Jersey City Council are as follows:

Jerramiah Healy (Mayor)

Office of the Mayor

City Hall

280 Grove Street

Jersey City, NJ 07302

Tel: (201) 547-5200

Fax: (201) 547-4288/5442

[email protected]

Mariano Vega, Jr. (Council President)

Tel: (201) 547-5268