Mayor Mike realizes that the Sullivan Law isn’t going to stand up to legal challenges so he wants to try and lower the fee structure for firearm licenses in hopes of preserving as much of his power to screw over ordinary citizens as possible. See INT 313-2010.
However, since the Clown Council doesn’t have as much experience with gun issues as he does, they don’t seem to grasp the situation. As Councilman Erik Dilan told the Post:
“… I don’t know how anybody could . . . speculate that we’re going to be sued by the National Rifle Association or any other entity for the fee when it’s been set at that rate for several years,” he said …”
He probably does not understand that up until McDonald, New York State operated under the notion that there is no right to own guns and therefore all gun control laws were acceptable. Incorporation changed that. I also doubt that he and most other most Councilmembers realize that New York City gun laws are way out of the mainstream. Bloomberg knows this and clearly expects problems:
“… “We want to be in compliance with the law as we understand the Chicago decision was made. We don’t want to lose the ability to have reasonable controls. If we have controls that the courts have ruled are too onerous or too unfair, we could lose” other gun-regulation measures that are in place …”
Notice, he’s just going after the fees, not the arbitrary discretion powers (yet). He has to know that won’t stand up. At some point he’s going to have to address that issue.
Be afraid bloomberg…be very afraid!