In addition to the money utterly wasted persuing this illegal gun ban, where the conclusion is virtually foredrawn that the city will lose in court, gun shops are talking about moving, causing the city to lose tax revenue from shops that sell a high dollar value item:
Delia predicted panic buying of guns, but also warned that if the laws were upheld in court, “I would consider moving out of the city.”
But he wouldn’t stop selling guns to people living in Philadelphia. He said he would move his store to a more gun-friendly town across the city line and resume his business.
Not smart for a city struggling with money.
Lou Middleton, 65, a former Philadelphia police officer who was passing time in Delia’s store, called the city’s new gun laws “a bunch of b.s., to put it bluntly.”
Middleton, who lives in Northeast Philadelphia, said he collects guns, including old military firearms. “I have an M1A [rifle], which has a 20 clip, which cost me $2,000,” he said. “Are they going to come and take it?”
They might, when the enforcement period begins. We might win in court eventually, but you’ll probably never see your rifle again.
I’d like to see the city suffer for their actions (lost tax revenue), and I can certainly understand the desire to move one’s business out of the city, but a city without any gun shops is probably something that Nutter et al. would like to see and a goal of these ordinances. That’s why state preemption is so important. Of course, I would like to see Nutter and the city council charged with official oppression as well.