City Officials Oppose Regional Assault Weapons Ban Resolution

The City of Fairfax joined Frederick County and the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors in urging the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) to withdraw a resolution calling for an assault weapons ban and other gun control measures.

However, Mayor Scott Silverthorne said the March 20 letter was not a ratification of the anti-gun-control movement. The city council voted unanimously in favor of the letter because the city wanted the regional authority to stay out of the gun control debate.

Further, Fairfax City will not withhold dues to the regional organization. Loudoun approved a resolution to withhold its dues for Fiscal Year 2014 until MWCOG repeals its support of the weapons’ ban that was endorsed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. It calls for an assault weapons ban and several other gun-control measures.

“We were not like the other jurisdictions, and we did not threaten to withhold our dues” Silverthorne said. “We were trying to not focus on issue of gun control. We wanted them (MWCOG ) to focus on regional cooperation.

“We felt that it was important that they stick to the issues and not take their eye off the ball of regional cooperation,” he said. “They work best when they work on regional issues like transportation and our economy.”

MWCOG is an independent, nonprofit association made up of local leaders who gather to address regional issues affecting the DMV. The association is better known for tracking regional employment, homelessness and projecting near-future population growth. For example, the group predicts that the regional population will grow to about 7 million over the next three decades.

The letter asked the board to rescind its approval at its next meeting, set for April 9.

What do you think about the letter Fairfax City officials sent? Tell us in the comments!