The City Council on Wednesday listened to public debate regarding three gun ordinances introduced by Mayor Jerramiah Healy in May in order to cut down on illegal guns coming into Jersey City.
The council ended up voting down two of the three ordinances, but then reintroduced them with major changes. The two reintroduced ordinances are subject to public comment and another vote at the next council meeting on June 28 at 6 p.m., when the council decides to vote for approval.
The three ordinances called for: Prohibiting the sale or purchase of more than one handgun every six months, gun owners to report a lost or stolen gun within 48 hours, and prohibiting the possession of so-called “junk guns.” Anyone violating the ordinances would face a minimum $500 fine.
But Frank Caso, who operates the only gun shop in Jersey City, Caso Gun-A-Rama on Danforth Avenue, came to the council meeting to register his opposition to the ordinances.
“I have a lot of out-of-town customers who are honest, law-abiding citizens, who if they come to Jersey City and see these laws, then I’m losing business,” said Caso before the meeting. “I understand what the mayor is trying to do, but it’s the right way to go about it.”NRA and residents speak
He was joined by other gun owners and a New Jersey representative of the NRA (National Rifle Association), who also addressed the council on the wrong aim of the ordinances.
“Unfortunately, the gun ordinances being considered tonight will not work to reduce guns, because they make the mistake of banning hardware rather than enforcing existing law against criminals,” said Scott Bach, an NRA NJ representative.
But there was also support for the ordinances, in particular from local residents lamenting the gun-related violence plaguing Jersey City.
Lavern Webb-Washington, a longtime resident, spoke up. “We are trying to stop crime; we aren’t trying to increase crime,” said Washington. “And the laws you are doing with the guns are well appreciated.” Changes debated
Even the ordinance that was passed Wednesday night had changes to it.
The ordinance originally prohibited the sale or purchase of more than one handgun every six months. But it was changed to every 30 days, except for a member of a law enforcement agency, or state or local correctional facility.
Added to that ordinance was a provision that calls for no gun dealer to sell any handgun to an individual who has already bought another handgun in the state of New Jersey in the past 30 days.
The ordinance prohibiting the possession of “junk guns” or “Saturday Night Specials” – cheaply made, disposable handguns – saw various exceptions added.
Exceptions include: Guns owned by people who already had a permit for that type of gun before the ordinance goes into effect; inoperable guns; guns possessed or used by law enforcement; guns presented by the owner for inspection to Jersey City police; any gun confiscated for 10 days to allow for the owner to have it shipped to an out-of-town address, and models over 50 years old that are owned by collectors.
The two ordinances were already considered by the council for change before Wednesday’s meeting because of e-mails by individuals opposed to the ordinances.
The changes brought about criticism from Ward E City Councilman Steven Fulop. Fulop and City Council President Mariano Vega held up a handful of e-mail printouts from individuals mobilized by the state’s NRA office.
But the primary catalyst for bringing about the changes was discussions between Caso and the city’s corporation counsel Bill Matsikoudis over the ordinances in the days leading up to last week’s meeting, Caso said. Caso pointed out that the ordinances would be even stricter than the state’s gun laws, which already are considered the toughest in the country. Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com SIDEBAR Will health services to poor be reduced?
On Wednesday, the Jersey City council listened to two employees of the Jersey City Family Health Center (JCFHC) system, which provides primary and some specialty health care service to thousands of low-income persons at several clinics.
In March, Jersey City Medical Center, under which the Jersey City Family Health Center system operates, was notified that JCFHC had to operate as an independent entity providing primary health care by July 1 in order to receive federal funding in the future. That has led to many specialty services such as mammograms and hepatitis treatment at the various clinics to be discontinued, and patients to be sent to doctors across the county.
Lynette Browne, a union representative for the employees of clinic system, explained the crisis that the changes would wreak upon the patients and doctors.
“The fact that the Family Health Center provides health [care] for many, many of your constituents is an issue that you should get involved in,” said Browne.
Vega mentioned his past history serving on the Jersey City Medical Center board and requested that Dr. Jonathan Metsch, president of Jersey City Medical Center, be summoned to appear at the next city council caucus on June 26 to explain the situation.
Ward F City Councilwoman Viola Richardson requested that a meeting be held by next week among herself, Vega, and Metsch on the matter as she is concerned about the homeless population that will not be served if the clinics change their services. There’s mold in my apartment
The council also heard Downtown resident Kathy Wells, who carrying an oxygen machine, pleaded to them to enforce the city’s housing code that would push the landlord of her Wayne Street apartment, longtime developer Peter Mocco, to remediate it for alleged mold contamination.
Wells said she just wanted a new air conditioner and leaks repaired.
Wells, a resident of the Hampton Court Apartments on Wayne Street, said those repairs would have prevented mold from forming in the walls of her apartment. She said she has complained numerous times over the past 3.5 years. Gasps came from the audience when she mentioned Mocco’s name, as he is a major developer.
“There were improper repairs made which caused an injury to my breathing capacity,” said Wells. “I also have mold in my blood.”
Wells at one point broke down and started to cry after told the council that she was only a day away from facing eviction from her apartment.
Vega called for the city’s assistant business administrator, John Mercer, to look into her case and make arrangements for the city’s Health Department to inspect the apartment as soon as possible. Mercer said after the meeting that he would check on the history of Wells’ situation.
Shannon Garrahan, attorney for Mocco’s company A-1 Property Management, which manages the building. She said last week “there are two sides to every story.” She said that Wells was the only tenant in the building complaining about a mold problem. – RK