1 From: Richard Emerson <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2022 8:50 AM
To: City Clerk Group
Subject: Comment on Ordinance to Require the Safe Storage of Firearms in a Residence.
I
wish to comment on the subject ordinance and ask the councilmembers to respond to my submission.
As a 30+ year resident of Goleta and a lifelong California gun owner with a firearm safe for storage, I question the timing of this ordinance as well as the problem that this ordinance will address. I see that the ordinance goes into significant detail concerning increases of injury or death as a result of unlocked guns in the home, but I see nowhere in the background where this issue has relevance to the city of Goleta.
As part of the background for the justification of this ordinance the 2019 CDC statistics for firearm related deaths in the United States was listed as 39,707, which was accurate. However, the next sentence stated that “Also, in 2019, firearms were used in 23,941 suicides in the United States.” The fact is that 23,941 suicide deaths (~ 64%) are part the 39,707 total deaths by firearms. The structure of the ordinance background on this matter would lead one to conclude these two numbers were cumulative, which is deceptive in its presentation.
Facts also available from the CDC state that 86% suicides are male and that firearm suicide rates are highest among non‐ Latino white men aged 75 and older. Since all the statistics presented in the ordinance background seems to indicate that unsecure guns had a significant impact on gun related deaths, I would conclude a safe storage device would not prevent most of the suicides by firearm because the owners of the firearms use their own firearm.
In addition to what I described above as deceptive presentation of the “problem” that this ordinance will address, the entire background looks to be written by a gun control group such as MomsDemandAction as a general need for gun control. The background is careful to state up front that no Second Amendment rights will be violated, and Council Member Kyriaco stated on KEYT that “We’re simply doing what has been done in places like Boston, going back to the founding of our republic…”
This entire background setup is to make it sound like this ordinance is no big deal to local gun owners and that the city of Goleta respects our rights. However, with that said, you want to add another restriction to a group of Goleta residents that are not causing any harm to the community.
Another statement I object to is the reference made to Goleta being one of the cities in California most affected by guns used outside of their Second Amendment purposes. Sure, Goleta has had several mass shooting incidents however I don’t see how you can use those cases as a basis for adding this ordinance. In these cases, the individuals were the owners of the firearms and the requirement to lock up a firearm is irrelevant with regards to these mass shooting events. It is disingenuous to tie these cases to a need for firearms storage. It makes me question the motive of the person introducing the ordinance and who they are trying to appease.
California already has two laws on the books to address safe storage of firearms with regards to children and prohibited persons, as identified in the ordinance background. These laws already have stiff penalties so another local ordinance assessing another penalty does not make Goleta any safer. Ordinances should only be put in place to address some issue related in our local community. To date, Goleta has not had any issues with firearm storage which has impacted our community so why create an ordinance for a problem that does not exist. Creating this ordinance does impact gun owners to a certain extent but why create an obstacle for a “political” talking point when the proble m does not exist in
our community.
2 The Goleta City Council should not let special interests introduce “feel good” legislation into local ordinances because it’s “common sense”, according to that special interest. You have plenty of other “local” issues to address than to spend time focusing on a national level debate about gun control and gun rights.
Leaders of today in our communities need to think for themselves and think of the impact on all the residents. This community has a significant number of gun owners who respect the rule of law. We don’t appreciate the creation of ordinances for which a problem does not exist at the local level.
Sincerely,
Richard Emerson
6190 Manzanillo Drive
Goleta, CA 93117
(805) 448‐7062
Sent from Mail for Windows
1 From: Jessica Truitt <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2022 11:29 AM
To: City Clerk Group
Subject: Support for Safe Storage Ordinance
Good afternoon,
My name is Jessica Truitt and while I am a resident of Santa Barbara, my daughter attends preschool in Goleta and we spend much of our time here, visiting playgrounds and going on playdates at homes in Goleta.
I am writing to you today to show my support for the Safe Storage Ordinance that is being presented today, which would require all firearms in a residence be securely stored in a locked container or disabled with a trigger lock.
Nearly every day in this country one small child unintentionally kills himself or another child after finding an unsecured firearm typically in their home. As the survivor of gun violence as a result of an unlocked firearm in a residence, I know first hand how quickly a safe and innocent situation can turn into a deadly one.
Additionally, research shows that keeping guns securely stored does NOT hinder self-protection- a gun can be accessed within seconds- but it DOES prevent unintentional deaths of children and teen suicides, by as much as 85% depending on the type of storage.
American children are nearly twice as likely to be shot and killed as they are to die by drowning. Yet safety regulations for pools are far more pervasive and restrictive than those for guns. Parents often hide their guns rather than locking them up, but studies show 70% of children know the location of these hidden guns in their own home and many have even handled them. Most firearm owners are law abiding and will follow the law if it is simply in place. A DOJ- approved safe storage device can be obtained for as little as $40 so the cost is not at all prohibitive, and trigger locks are often given out free at police stations.
Let’s protect our children and families. As the mother of two young children, I know that this ordinance will help my children stay safer. I am proud to be a member of a community who puts children first; I urge you to support this common sense gun ordinance! It will save lives.
Thank you for your dedication to the safety of our children, families, and community! Your work here on the council is instrumental in protecting our loved ones and we truly appreciate your service.
Best,
Jessica Truitt