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.poor people cannot protect themselves is ridiculous. Allowing the sale of gum will not make it a better community. Bill DenHartog, 301 Foxbrough Court, San Ramon, mentioned a book he had delivered to Council last week that would help Council make an educated decision. He said he had to wait two hours while Whit Collins gave a presentation and then he was only allowed fifteen minutes. He did not feel this was good representation of listening to both sides. He said the Police Department was doing a good job and to let the other cities take care of themselves. Why should taxpayers pay to help fix other cities problems. He stated the National Rifle Association will file a lawsuit against the City of Pleasanton if the proposed ordinance is passed and enacted. Ms. Ayala asked what the effects of Maryland' s Saturday Night Special Law of 1988 had on that state? Mr. DenHartog said after the ordinance went into effect in Maryland the homicide rate went up. Mark Fulford, 4175 Galloway Street, said recently his family had completed a state certified hunters training course. He believed his children knew more about gun safety than some of the people who served on City Councils. He urged the Council to devote more of its resources to educational programs. He asked Council to examine the facts from creditable sources and then act accordingly. He recapped some issues brought up by Wright, Rossi, and Daly and the fact that there was no evidence that gun control would reduce crime. He read from the National Safety Counsel Accident Facts, 1997 edition, and that it stated unintentional injuries continued to be the fifth leading cause of death overall exceeded only by heart disease, cancer, stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He mentioned several other leading causes of deaths not by the use of handguns. He said states that gave its citizens the right to carry firearms had a much overall lower violent crime rate than those states that did not. He said it is not the type of weapon used but rather the failure in America to keep violent criminals off the street. He felt there were more issues that needed to be addressed rather than just gun control. Cindy McGovern, 9206 Longview Drive, asked if the ordinance banned the sale of guns in the City of Pleasanton and if it outlawed hunting, skeet shooting or the right to ownership of guns? Also did the ordinance not allow gun education to be done in the City of Pleasanton? Ms. Ayala the ordinance did not ban the sale of all guns or the right of ownership and education programs could still be done. Ms. McGovern did not feel that the three strikes law was going to keep her safe. She said if everything possible was not done to keep Pleasanton the way it is, it would be lost. She urged the Council to pass the ordinance. Pleasanton City Council 8 02/09/98 Minutes