Today's Question: Should The City Ban The Sale of Guns From Private Homes, Even Over the Internet?

The eight Pleasant Hill City Council candidates met last week to give their views on issues facing the city, and to answer why they would be the best choice to fill the three vacant seats in November. Pleasant Hill Patch was there to record the action.

But we want to hear what you think about these issues. So once a day, we’ll post a question, provide the candidates’ answers, and ask you what you think about those issues. This is your city, and your Patch. Weigh in with your point of view.

 Should the city band home-based gun dealers?

Matthew Rinn:
I support the business owner’s rights on this issue. Most people shop these days at Amazon. If we’re going to regulate who can and cannot have guns out of their home, that’s another issue. There are no sales coming in and out of his home. As long as that’s the case, I support his right to do business.

Jessica Braverman:
I will listen to both sides of this issue, and because I don’t want to recuse myself if I’m elected to the council, I want to stay neutral. The home-based business issue has not been a problem in Pleasant Hill. Guns are inherently dangerous, but so are vehicles that run down people on the sidewalk.

Jeremy Cloward:
I have a problem with this gentleman being able to stock weapons in his home. You do have a right to keep and bear arms. But there are no absolute rights. I do support a ban on home gun sales.

Jim Bonato:
I believe in public safety. I believe this permit allows this individual to stock weapons in his home. We have holes in the ordinance that need to be fixed. For the safety of the public, I do not want a member of the neighborhood to have guns that has his address available to the public on the Internet.

Tim Flaherty:
There is no stocking of guns here. The sales are done on the Internet. It is a health and safety issue. The issue is, is a home occupation consistent with the safety with the neighborhood?  There are some home occupation businesses operating now. The Planning Commission will look very carefully whether this is consistent with a neighborhood environment.

Mike Flake:
We need to study this issue. Banning the business doesn’t solve the problem. All you’ve done is moved it. He could move to Concord or Pacheco, and live right outside our border. After we study this issue, if we need to draft an ordinance to regulate it, let the police chief work with the council. It’s going to be moot anyway, because the federal government is no longer going to issue permits for weapon sales not out of storefronts.

Ken Carlson:
The fact that the applicant was issued a license didn’t preclude him from doing transfers which would entail him holding a gun. There is the potential for inventory there. The problem doesn’t go away with federal regulations, because they’re not going to issue new permits, but that won’t have an effect on permits already issued.

David Durant:
The police chief said he saw no problem with it. I have a long history with youth violence and prevention, so I’m familiar with gun issues. But this is a legal business. So the concept of just shutting it down doesn’t really work. We should study it further. 

Those are the candidates’ thoughts. What do you think? Should the city ban the sale of guns from private homes, even on Internet-only businesses? Or should citizens have a right to such a business?