Now that it is focusing more attention on gangs in Asheville, City Council will consider a gun buy-back program at its Nov. 13 meeting.
According to the meeting agenda, the city could set aside $25,000 for the program, which would be implemented by the Police Department at Asheville’s four community centers during the month of December. Staff documents suggest a going price of $50 for handguns and rifles and $100 for assault weapons.
Also on the agenda: RiverLink wants to take the next step for a new park at the former Edaco salvage yard on Amboy Road. The group has offered to donate an easement, allowing the city to move forward with a sidewalk there that would join the two parks on either side of the site.
And the city may contract with Pisgah Legal Services to develop a “Comprehensive Affordable Housing Plan” — an project that carries a $50,000 price tag.
For the entire agenda of Asheville’s Nov. 13 City Council meeting, which starts at 5 p.m. in Council chambers — on the second floor of City Hall — go here.
— Brian Postelle, staff writer
Gun buy-back programs are merely feel-good efforts. They have never been shown to have any positive affect. The guns collected, while looking mighty fine in a photo op, are not the guns thugs use. They collected guns are usually broken, old, worthless things.
Let’s see how many Glocks or TEC-9’s show up.
http://www.mcsm.org/buyback.html
DonM is right that this program is just a “feel good” effort. And guns in private ownership in Asheville is not a problem. In fact, violent crime is NOT a problem in Asheville. Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, NYC…they have a problem with violence. Thank God we do not. We have such a peaceful city that when an anomoly happens, it gets lots of coverage by news outlets who exaggerate in spades. We do not have a gang problem here. I have been in Los Angeles. THEY have a gang problem. So we need to have a sense of scale here.
I’d like to see a more practical use of the APD in this town. How about pulling the speedtraps off I-40and I-240 (that’s the Highway Patrols job) and get the drug dealers, prostitutes and bums off the streets of Asheville? I still see streetwalking prostitutes on French Broad by the projects, and “pimps” standing around drinking from bottles in brown paper bags. I imagine they sell drugs as well. What is so difficult about sending patrol cars through this area regularly? That would be real policing and perhaps is a low priority. After all, the city can use those speeding ticket revenues, right? We do need to build revenue for another park in town. :) Isn’t that a kick? We live in an area that is surrounded by some of the most beautiful natural land in the country and some feel the need to build more parks here?