Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Local, state officials own guns, support some controls

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Sunday, October 3, 1999

Local, state officials own guns, support some controls
Survey: Opinions vary, but education, waiting periods are popular ideas
By Jennifer Stump
Caller-Times

Your next president probably owns a gun, supports the death penalty and opposes the recent trend of cities suing gun manufacturers.
   Chances are, so does your current city council member, county commissioner and state or U.S. representative.
   Local elected officials responded in much the same way as presidential candidates to questions about gun control and crime. In a survey conducted by the Caller-Times and Scripps-Howard News Service, elected officials and presidential hopefuls support some types of gun control measures but vary on how far they are willing to go in restricting access to weapons.
   In the wake of mass shootings in Littleton, Colo., Atlanta and Fort Worth, the gun control debate has come to the forefront of public discussion, said Robert Spitzer, political science professor at the State University of New York at Cortland and the author of "The Politics of Gun Control."
   "The issue is certainly more on the public mind, and it certainly has been important in the presidential campaign," Spitzer said. "The long term trend is likely to be on support for gradually stronger gun control laws. Most people support measures like blocking the import of ammunition magazines and better background checks at gun shows."
   However, while many people support some type of gun control measure, it doesn't mean citizens are willing to turn in their guns, said Sterling Burnett, senior policy analyst with National Center for Policy Analysis in Dallas. Guns are present in more than 40 percent of all households, and politicians' opinions reflect that, he said.
   "For all of the furor, you don't see people willing to turn in their guns," he said. "People are of two minds on the issue."
   Gun statistics
   According to the Department of Public Safety, 2,166 people in Nueces County hold concealed weapons permits. There are 196,624 people statewide licensed to carry a concealed handgun.
   The elected officials responding to the Caller-Times survey from the Corpus Christi City Council were: Melody Cooper, Henry Garrett, Arnold Gonzales, Betty Jean Longoria, John Longoria, Mark Scott and Mayor Loyd Neal. Rex Kinnison and Javier Colmenero could not be reached for comment.
   Nueces County Commissioners surveyed were Joe McComb, Oscar Ortiz, Frank Schwing and County Judge Richard Borchard. David Noyola could not be reached for comment.
   State lawmakers included Sen. Carlos Truan, D-Corpus Christi; Rep. Vilma Luna, D-Corpus Christi, and Rep. Jaime Capelo, D-Corpus Christi. Representatives Gene Seaman, R-Corpus Christi, and Judy Hawley, D-Portland, could not be reached for comment.
   Federal lawmakers surveyed were U.S. Rep Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi; U.S. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, D-San Antonio; and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Clute.
   Nearly all of the local elected officials contacted by the Caller-Times own weapons. Most are for hunting. However, none of the female officials said they own guns.
   Gun-control support
   Local officials had mixed opinions on the effectiveness of federal gun registration and mandatory trigger locks, but most said they would support the measures. Most of the presidential candidates opposed both proposals, however.
   Nueces County Commissioner Frank Schwing said there should be more education on gun safety.
   "I know people that have gone out to buy guns and have no idea what the safety features are," he said. "Buying a gun should be similar to getting a driver's license. It means the majority of the population has been trained in safety."
   Corpus Christi officials surveyed overwhelmingly supported having some kind of waiting period to purchase a weapon at a gun show.
   But half of the presidential candidates opposed having any kind of waiting period at all.
   Luna said she supports a 72-hour waiting period so that officials can do a criminal background check and check to make sure the buyer does not have a history of psychological problems.
   "I think what we need to do is be more careful about who can own weapons," Luna said.
   Crime and punishment
   Nearly all local officials have been the victim of a crime, mostly home and auto burglaries.
   All the presidential candidates support the death penalty. So do all of the local officials who responded to the Caller-Times questions.
   And most local officials and presidential aspirants said a combination of stiff criminal penalties, strong enforcement and education is the way to reduce drug use in the United States.
   "Eighty percent of inmates are incarcerated because of drug or alcohol abuse," Truan said. "We now have one of the largest prison systems in the world. We need more education about the harms of drugs early on, and we need to educate both parents and children."
   Like many local officials, Borchard said drug prevention should start at home with close parental supervision.
   "A lot of people in my neighborhood, a lot of my friends that I grew up with, have gone to prison or are dead," Borchard said. "When we were young they were good kids, but they strayed away. Discipline helps. I probably would have been dead by now if it weren't for my father. He was really strict. I had a 10 o'clock curfew and had to go to church three times a week."



Staff writer Jennifer Stump can be reached at 886-3778 or by e-mail at stumpj@caller.com

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