SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) – The San Jose mayor says he believes a proposed gun ordinance will become controversial – The council will take up the measure at its meeting on Tuesday.
That measure includes a requirement for gun owners to carry liability insurance.
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo spoke at a news conference on Monday about the gun harm reduction ordinance before the council Tuesday. At issue is requiring every household with a gun owner to have liability insurance coverage for each firearm and to pay an annual fee of $25.
Ester Peralez-Dieckmann works for Nextdoor, one of the non-profits supporting the ordinance.
It was last May when a disgruntled VTA worker killed nine co-workers in a violent rage.
The mayor says the fee paid by gun owners will directly go to support community-based organizations working to reduce gun violence, suicide prevention, and gun safety classes.
Liccardo says taxpayers subsidize gun ownership paying out about 40 million a year to deal with medical, police and fire services due to gun violence.
He says they are prepared for a legal fight. Already, the council has received several letters in opposition to the ordinance, such as this one that says in part:
“Your attempt at gun registration seems to be a way to begin a gun registry… that is not a good idea, since it endangers the legal gun owners.”
“Please don’t tax a constitutional right.”
The council’s virtual meeting starts at 1:30 Tuesday afternoon.