Baldwin Borough Lost or Stolen

[WhiteFeather]

Looks like Baldwin Borough is also looking to pursue an Illegal L&S Ordinance

Don't have the scheduled day for the meeting yet when this is going to be brought up.

Baldwin Borough web site with details how to get to meeting etc

http://www.baldwinborough.org/


The Mayor of Baldwin

Mayor Alexander R. Bennett Jr.
abennett@@baldwinborough.org
mayor@baldwinborough.org
office at 412-882-9600 ext 210.


BOROUGH COUNCIL

Larry Brown
lbrown@baldwinborough.org


Bob Collet
bcollet@baldwinborough.org


John Conley
jconley@baldwinborough.org


David Depretis
ddepretis@baldwinborough.org


John Ferris
jferris@baldwinborough.org


Edward Moeller
emoeller@baldwinborough.org


Michael Stelmasczyk
mstelmasczyk@baldwinborough.org



BOROUGH MANAGER - Timothy J. Little
tlittle@baldwinborough.org
boroughmanager@baldwinborough.org


Don't have the scheduled day for the meeting yet on when L&S is going to be brought up or IF / when CeaseFirePA will be doing another dog and pony show.

IF someone lives In Baldwin Borough please see IF you can find out

BOROUGH COUNCIL Meetings


Agenda Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Municipal Building

January 12, February 9, March 9, April 13, May 11, June 8, July 13, Aug 10, Sept 14, Oct 12, Nov 9 and Dec 14


Regular Meetings are held the third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Municipal Building

January 19, February 16, March 16, April 20, May 18, June 15, July 20, Aug 17, Sept 21, Oct 19, Nov 16 and Dec 21

[WhiteFeather]

This L&S is running full speed ahead in Baldwin Borough with the wiz kids from CeaseFirePA running all over the state preaching civil disobedience and throwing out the Rule of Law to lobbying local councils to illegally enact L&S ordinance.

IF you can take the time to politely express your feelings to the Baldwin Borough council it would greatly be appreciated.




http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt.../s_673206.html

Baldwin Borough residents would need to report lost, stolen guns



An ordinance that would require Baldwin Borough residents to report lost or stolen guns to the police has generated strong feelings on both sides of the issue.



Council last week voted 5-1 to authorize the borough's solicitor to draft the ordinance. Councilman John Conley was the lone dissenter. Councilman John Ferris was absent.

After members of council met with representatives from CeaseFire PA, a statewide organization aimed at reducing gun violence, borough officials discussed the need for gun control in the community.



In an effort to curtail illegal handguns statewide, CeaseFire PA is lobbying for local communities to require residents to report a lost or stolen gun to the police or face a penalty.



Thirty communities statewide have passed the ordinance so far, said Jenna Finder, Western Pennsylvania coordinator for CeaseFire PA. They include Pittsburgh , Philadelphia , Castle Shannon, West Mifflin, West Homestead, Clairton, Munhall, Braddock and Wilkinsburg .



"It in no way hampers anyone from owning a firearm," Councilman Larry Brown told his colleagues. "I don't see where it's going to hurt."



But others disagree.



"I feel this is not needed," Conley said. "I feel it takes away more of our freedoms. I feel a responsible resident will contact the police when a gun is stolen."



The ordinance, though, is not meant for residents who typically would report a stolen gun to the police, others argued.



"I think the key word there was 'responsible citizen,' and I think this takes care of the irresponsible citizens that wouldn't take the time and the effort to report it," Councilman Edward Moeller said.

[WhiteFeather]

Since we finally got the NRA to put an alert on this maybe this thread will get some much needed attention and action from gun owners

[falcn]

Thank you CONLEY!

Here are the E-mails in semi-colon separated form for copying and pasting into your E-mail editor TO: line.

mayor@baldwinborough.org; lbrown@baldwinborough.org; bcollet@baldwinborough.org; jconley@baldwinborough.org; ddepretis@baldwinborough.org; jferris@baldwinborough.org; emoeller@baldwinborough.org; mstelmasczyk@baldwinborough.org; boroughmanager@baldwinborough.org

[fragmag]

I called and left a message with the Mayor letting him know mu feelings on the lost and stolen ordinance.

[falcn]

This is what I sent - yeah not perfect, but I don't think too bad for being 7 a.m. and not having my coffee before I head off to work.

________________

Dear Baldwin Council and Mayor,

It seems Mr. Conley is the only one that realizes that CeaseFire PA is pushing their own personal agenda and trying to get local cities and boroughs to pass laws that the State Legislature VOTED DOWN in 2007 as HB29 was defeated.

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/.../2007&rNbr=609

This ordinance will do NOTHING to deter crime. There are already laws on the books governing straw purchasers, one thing CeaseFire PA claims this ordinance will help prevent.

The Uniform Firearms Act of Pennsylvania also makes these ordinances illegal for you to enact. State Preemption as outlined in the UFA states:

18 PA.C.S. § 6120 "No county, municipality or township may in any manner regulate the lawful ownership, possession, transfer or transportation of firearms, ammunition or ammunition components when carried or transported for purposes not prohibited by the laws of this Commonwealth."

The UFA preempts localities fully. As the PA Supreme Court said in Ortiz v. Commonwealth, 681 A.2d 152, (Pa. 1996):

“. . . the Philadelphia appellants, joined by the City of Pittsburgh, argue that although the General Assembly may restrict home rule power to some extent, it may not limit “the ability to perform the basic administrative functions of a municipal government and the ability to fulfill a fundamental purpose for which the City government exists.” In particular, appellants assert that “the right of a city to maintain the peace on its streets through the regulation of weapons is intrinsic to the existence of the government of that city and, accordingly, an irreducible ingredient of constitutionally protected Home Rule.” . . .This claim is frivolous [emphasis added]. The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned. Because the ownership of firearms is constitutionally protected, its regulation is a matter of statewide concern. The constitution does not provide that the right to bear arms shall not be questioned in any part of the commonwealth except Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, where it may be abridged at will, but that it shall not be questioned in any part of the commonwealth. Thus, regulation of firearms is a matter of concern in all of Pennsylvania, not merely in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the General Assembly, not city councils, is the proper forum for the imposition of such regulation.”

Thank you John Conley for opposing another useless law meant to just show that council "is doing something" about gun violence. Changes are needed in the enforcement of the existing laws, not new laws that cover items already covered by existing laws.

I implore you to not enact this ordinance.

[WhiteFeather]

Forgot to post the NRA alert

http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Read.aspx?ID=5687

Pennsylvania: Baldwin Borough to Draft Lost or Stolen Legislation!

Monday, April 05, 2010

Please Stand Up and Make Your Voice Heard!

The Baldwin Borough Council will soon draft an ordinance that would require gun-owners to report lost or stolen firearms or face possible fines and imprisonment. The Council will meet on Tuesday, April 13 to discuss the matter.


Such a proposal not only violates Pennsylvania’s state preemption laws, but also potentially turns law-abiding gun owners -- who have already been victimized by theft -- into criminals. Proponents claim, although they have never demonstrated, that this will deter illegal firearms trafficking. While the NRA certainly does not oppose the reporting of lost and stolen firearms, it does oppose stigmatizing and punishing the victims of crime or those who suffer loss from events, such as natural catastrophes, that are not their fault. The message these laws send is that persons whose firearms are lost or stolen are somehow to blame or are complicit in the criminal acts of another person.


Please attend the Borough Council meeting on Tuesday, April 13 to voice your opposition to this illegal and unjust proposal. The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Borough Municipal Building located at 3344 Churchview Avenue in Pittsburgh.

Also, please contact the Mayor of Baldwin Borough, Alexander Bennett, Jr., as well as the Borough Council and respectfully make your voice heard. Contact information can be found below.

Mayor Alexander R. Bennett Jr.
abennett@baldwinborough.org
mayor@baldwinborough.org
412-882-9600, ext 210.

Borough Council:

Larry Brown
lbrown@baldwinborough.org


Bob Collet
bcollet@baldwinborough.org


John Conley
jconley@baldwinborough.org


David Depretis
ddepretis@baldwinborough.org


John Ferris
jferris@baldwinborough.org


Edward Moeller
emoeller@baldwinborough.org


Michael Stelmasczyk
mstelmasczyk@baldwinborough.org

[edstephan]

And why is the Attorney General not addressing this issue since it violates preemption?? Is he to busy running for Governor?
Corbett has the power to prosecute Boroughs, Townships, Counties and Cities for preemption violations and where has he been with that? He is also supposed to make sure that Sheriff departments follow the same licensing procedure across the state. Hey you Philly guys how’s that working for you???



An OC Activist and 1 of the 3%
Ed Stephan