It looks like the cost of a concealed carry permit in Ohio was going to be increased without too much debate until NRA stepped in around 1am this morning.
A fee increase for concealed-carry licenses survived inside House Bill 450 through the entire day Wednesday and even into early Thursday morning. But it’s never too late for the National Rifle Association to make things happen.
The bill, which passed the Senate by an overwhelming margin several hours earlier in the evening, was called up for reconsideration just before 1 a.m. Thursday morning, after the NRA and others contacted Republican lawmakers and expressed concern about an amendment to the bill that would increase fees for concealed-carry permits.
The fee was stripped out because there seems to have been some major miscommunication on it. The hike was requested by the county sheriffs who lose money from their normal operating budgets every time they issue one. Some GOP lawmakers were told the increase was only about $3-5, but apparently it was worded so the fees could be hiked another $25.
Well, what’s the NRA doing about the license fee here in Nassau County, Long Island? I pay $200 for my 5-year license and it’s not even full f***ing carry.
Interesting, I live in Southern Ohio and most Sheriff Departments here are underfunded as it is. I didn’t know they were losing money on the permits. I would actually be willing to pay an extra 3 to 5 dollars if that would let them break even.
I suspect most people would, Jim. I think the concern is that lawmakers were led to believe it was only a small amount when in reality, a close reading showed that it would take the fee up to $80. That’s suddenly a different ballpark for most folks.
Orange, I think that’s where we run into the political reality problem.
Better yet, do away with the permit. Since they’re not willing to do that, cut funds from some handout program and give them to the sheriffs Nickel and dimeing the good folks while the lazy get everything is not the way to go.
The N.R.A. certainly didn’t help here in Jefferson County, Alabama either when our last sheriff took the fees from $7.00 to $21.00. The new sheriff ran on a promise to return the fees to $7.00, he was elected as a D., cheated out of office, ran again as an R. and won on the same promise which he kept. It has been $7.00 ever since.
As an Ohioan why should I have to pay more for something that should be free? As it is, very few counties accept applications more than the minimum 16 hrs per week.
I would argue that since there’s a cost to the service (labor, overhead, and technology development to make it faster), it shouldn’t be free. Pay for the service. If you don’t want to, then carry openly.
As for county level fights, that’s much harder for NRA to mobilize. A) They can’t afford lobbyists in every single county and city. B) When you get down to communities that small, membership mobilization isn’t as powerful because too many people slack off, so you’re really looking at a handful of people who will call to complain. C) It sounds like the problem was resolved with the kind of action that’s the most lasting – changing officials because of bad policies. If NRA endorsed in that race, then they helped in the best way possible. D) On the local level, it’s easier for grassroots to mobilize themselves on something overt like that. The Ohio change appears to have been put into a big budget bill, something that no activist I know would read through. E) Depending on the nature of the situation, the increased fee may reflect the actual cost of issuing the license. In Ohio, it was believed that $3-5 would do that while sponsors of this measure wanted to go to $25. That’s much easier to argue and defeat.
who pays for the offices in the first place? How dare anyone suggest doing something that is their job for the funds provided by tax payers.
Do you have to pay more when they come out and mo0p up after a crime is committed…say your house is broken into and you call them to file a report. do you have to PAY them to take that report?