Politicians Who Watch Their Budgets
While it might frustrate some Utah gun owners, I have to give their Governor some props for considering the legal costs to controversial legislation. It’s a point we’ve repeatedly hammered home to localities here in Pennsylvania who are considering constitutionally questionable ordinances.
Gov. Gary Herbert wants to sign a bill exempting Utah-made guns sold in the state from federal regulations, but he also wants to avoid a potentially costly constitutional challenge.In an attempt to thread the needle, Herbert told The Salt Lake Tribune on Monday that he will ask the bill’s sponsors to “tweak” the bill, making it contingent on an already existing legal challenge to a nearly identical law in Montana.
“Let’s see what happens to them and react accordingly later rather than cause an instant financial obligation for the people with money we don’t have,” he said. “It would be much better to be a friend and support and see what happens with Montana.” …
Herbert has been perplexed how to handle the bill, just one in a slate of state-rights legislation working its way through the Legislature.
On one hand he says: “My heart is with them on the concept of challenging the federal government.”
But just moments later he worried about the potential costs of a bill which clearly conflicts with established federal law.
“We can ill afford a very expensive court fight with our budget being what it is,” Herbert said.
That said, it does sound as though the Attorney General has a solution to the issue that should save the taxpayers some money should they be dragged into a legal fight. He would ask any court to hold off on the lawsuit and agree to not implement the law until Montana’s situation is settled. That could work, and it seems a reasonable solution. However, it is still refreshing to at least see some attention paid to the cost issue given the kind of crap we’ve heard in response to taxpayer concerns here in Pennsylvania.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard gun owners rant about just wanting someone to sue various agencies, yet they often forget that it costs money to do so. When this conversation happens in person and I politely point out exactly where they take a little from their wallet to help the fight, that’s about the time they walk away. Funny how that is.

Second Amendment Blog
Posted by: Bitter on
Feb 23rd, 2010 |
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