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The Vermont Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs Position on Burlington Mayor Kiss's Gun Control Agenda

On Monday, November 27, 2006, Burlington Mayor Kiss signed the Mayors Against Illegal Guns "Statement of Principles" before the Burlington City Council. He signed the document without advance warning, relating to the City Council that he was not looking for support or authority from the City Council.

However, the next day, in an interview with reporter Peter Freyne, Mayor Kiss stated that gun control is an issue that people on the City Council should be interested in and should continue discussion on his gun-control agenda. A clear statement of his desire to get support and action from the City Council, in stark contrast to his statement of the previous night.

The Vermont Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs takes any discussion on firearms by a government entity as a serious matter, therefore:

The Federation has observed Mayor Kiss to have engaged in a determined campaign to advance a gun-control agenda. When stymied by his positions for advancing gun control being refuted, Mayor Kiss promptly changes or expands the gun control law he wants to have enacted.

For example, when the Boston billboard which blamed Vermont for being a problem source of guns used in crimes committed in Boston, which the mayor cited as a reason for Vermont gun control, was proven to be inaccurate. Or, when a May 27, 2006 article in the Burlington Free Press disclosed that the mayor had not consulted with his own police department before declaring that guns were a crime problem in Burlington. After both, Mayor Kiss simply altered his gun-control campaign.

The Federation has extensive experience in protecting the rights of Vermont's hunting and shooting communities. We are very familiar with how terms like "illegal guns" are purposely vague and constantly expanded to include more firearms.

The Federation holds that Mayor Kiss is working to advance a gun-control agenda that is a solution in search of a problem. Particularly, as the mayor continues to ignore the fact that Vermont is constantly one of the five lowest-crime-rate states in the nation.

That Mayor Kiss initiated his gun-control campaign without investigating the readily-available data is irresponsible, and for him to continue to falsely smear Vermont as a source of guns used in crimes in other states is inexcusable.

The Federation believes any discussion involving gun ownership, shooting or hunting should be conducted on the basis of a well-reasoned and objective review in the pursuit of sound public policy. Only after successfully completing an exhaustive legislative process should any laws regulating the aforementioned activities be enacted.

For this reason the Federation is gravely concerned and strongly opposed to Mayor Kiss treating in such a impulsive and inconsistent manner, matters which we hold as crucial, and the protection of which the Federation has represented Vermonters since 1875.

In conclusion, the Federation holds that the hasty and constantly altering approach of Mayor Kiss proves exactly why matters regarding the firearm regulatory process are properly within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Vermont Legislature.

Updated: 5 February 2007