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consideration of such a ban is legally outside the authority of the City Council. She said the resources available should be used to improve the library, park facilities and roads. The belief that eliminating access to handgum would reduce crime was false. Crime will only be reduced when moral issues were addressed and fundamental changes were made at all levels of society, beginning with families. She believed outside organizations provided the primary impetus for this ban and did not consider the best interest of the citizens of Pleasanton. This ordinance should be voted on by the citizens. She asked for the Council not to contribute to the erosion of the citizens' right to keep and bear arms. Councilmember Pico arrived at 7:03 p.m. Mike Clarke, 5026 Lynbrook Court, stated for the record that this was not a wise idea. He believed it to be more of a federal issue. He said city funds could be better spent on other things, like the repair of Stanley Boulevard. Paul Patti, 7756 Palmdale Court, said he opposed the ban and suggested it should go to the vote of the people. George Linhart, 3263 Vineyard Avenue, #189, said he could not understand why Council would even consider an ordinance that was a non-solution to a non-problem for Pleasanton. He respected people's efforts if it was for something worthwhile. He did not agree with politicians taking away his constitutional rights. Elva Cooper, 1664 Orchard Way, spoke for League of Women Voters who supported the ordinance. She said the United States League of Women Voters position states to protect the health and the safety of citizens is to limit the access and to regulate the ownership of handguns and assault weapons. The league believed that the proliferation of hand gum and semi-automatic assault weapons in the United States is a major health and safety threat. The California League of Women Voters adopted a resolution in 1995, whereas handgun violence is the leading cause of death to California children and higher rates of hand gun injuries and death are associated with greater access to handgum. Therefore, be it resolved the California League of Voters supports measures that would ban the handguns known as Saturday Night Specials, regulate handgum as consumer products and make it a felony to carry a concealed weapon without a permit. She could not imagine what it would have been like to raise her children in a neighborhood that sold guns. She thanked Council for spending the time and effort on this ordinance and had confidence it would make the right decision. Mark Warner, 6948 Corte Verde, said he is an FFL dealer and was a fire fighter/paramedic for the City of Newark. He mentioned he probably has seen more gun violence than anybody present, but he still was not against guns. He said crime has decreased in California because of the three strikes law. He described other methods used to decrease the sale of gum, but they have not worked. If people want gum, they will get them. He said in times of disaster, there are not enough police to protect the people. People need to purchase Pleasanton City Council 4 02/09/98 Minutes