Home Contra Costa County Contra Costa Board of Supervisors May Seek Gun Show Ban at Fairgrounds

Contra Costa Board of Supervisors May Seek Gun Show Ban at Fairgrounds

by ECT

On Tuesday, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors will discuss the idea of signing a letter to ask the owner of the Contra Costa Event Park, the 23rd District Agricultural Association, to support a policy of prohibiting the possession and sale of firearms on the Fairgrounds in the City of Antioch.

Most recently, Antioch held a gun show in September and they have another show scheduled for Dec. 15-16 by Mountain Air Productions.

UPDATE – Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the sending of a letter. For Board of Supervisor Meeting Recap, click here.

According to the Agenda:

The Contra Costa County Fairgrounds are owned and operated by the 23rd District Agricultural Association. The 23rd District Agricultural Association is a “state institution” under Food and Agricultural Code section 3953. Because the Fairgrounds are owned and operated by a state institution, the County is not authorized to prohibit gun shows held on state property.  

Alameda, Marin, Sonoma, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Los Angeles have taken action through county ordinance to prohibit gun shows at their respective county-owned fairgrounds. Earlier this year, there was local interest in eliminating gun shows at the Cow Palace which is owned by Agricultural District 1-A, also a state institution. That effort resulted in the need for special legislation (Senate Bill 221) to be carried by Senator Scott Weiner and Assemblyman Phil Ting to disallow gun shows on the Cow Palace property. The bill passed the legislature, but was vetoed by the Governor in September 2018.   
  
On October 9, 2018, the Board of Supervisors referred to the Public Protection Committee to assist with facilitating a public discussion as to whether or not Contra Costa County should pursue an effort to disallow gun shows at the state-owned County Fairgrounds property and to determine whether facilitating gun shows on public property is an appropriate message to be sending as the nation continues to grapple with mass shootings.   
  
On November 5, 2018, the Public Protection Committee considered the issue of banning guns shows and acknowledged that there are limited options to pursue in prohibiting the possession or sales of firearms on the County fairgrounds due to it being owned and operated by a state institution. The Public Protection Committee is recommending that the County first send a letter to the Board of Directors of the 23rd District Agricultural Association to convey the Board of Supervisors’ support of a policy prohibiting the possession and sale of firearms on the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds.   

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors’s support of a policy prohibiting the possession and sale of firearms on the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds will not be conveyed to the 23rd Agricultural Association.

For more information: http://64.166.146.245/agenda_publish.cfm?id=&mt=ALL&get_month=12&get_year=2018&dsp=agm&seq=35992&rev=0&ag=1165&ln=71056&nseq=35930&nrev=0&pseq=35972&prev=0#ReturnTo71056

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7 comments

Jim Simmons Dec 2, 2018 - 12:56 pm

I hope that everyone who complains on social media will actually take the time to email Supervisor Diane Burgis with opposition to this ridiculous policy. Her email is [email protected]

I am so disappointed this is an agenda item. The county has so many other issues it is dealing with that to meddle with a property that is under state control.

Here are the others
Andersen: [email protected]
Mitchoff: [email protected]
Glover: [email protected]
Gioia: http://ca-contracostacounty.civicplus.com/FormCenter/District-l-Supervisor-John-M-Gioia-20-20/Contact-Supervisor-Gioia-112-112

Dan Dec 2, 2018 - 1:03 pm

These Board of Supervisors are a bunch of idiots. Do they not realize we will just go to another county or state to purchase our firearms and bring them back home and now the county is out those tax dollars. This is a feel good idea that results to nothing beneficial to the area. Those who buy guns are gun shows are not the ones doing the drive buy shootings or gang banger. These citizens are buying guns with ID, background check and on record. What else do they want? Oh that is right, take away all our guns.

The stupidity in all of this is we can go down to Hook Line and Sinker, Antioch Armory or Glaser Arms and purchase a gun.

Dale Dec 2, 2018 - 2:31 pm

If they are going to ban gun sales on this property they should ban the flea market and all the junk it brings each weekend. How much of that garbage is stolen? While they are at it, lets ban races because they use too much gas for entertainment purposes.

Bud Dec 2, 2018 - 2:39 pm

While you can pay for a gun at gun shows in CA, you can’t take them home the same day. You still have to pass the DOJ background check and wait 10 days. I don’t understand why law abiding people get punished for the criminals.

Michael Dec 2, 2018 - 3:49 pm

This is somewhat misleading because the Board of Supervisors have no say in what the Fairgrounds does. The 23rd District Agricultural Association can simply receive the letter and choose to read it and file it or tell the BOS to go kick rocks.

With the Fairgrounds already hurting for money, one would think it would be difficult to to stay afloat without the BOS telling them what types of trade shows can or cannot come to Antioch.

No more Burgis Dec 3, 2018 - 7:44 am

Burgis needs to be replaced. She is a worthless self serving person. I want someone who respects the constitution and improves our County. She fails on both.

ACINSAC Dec 5, 2018 - 8:58 am

Makes we want to move out of state ! I agree with Dan, that law abiding folks can go to a gun shop and purchase one easily, so banning sales at a gun show serves no purpose. They don’t realize that these shows have much more than guns for sale. Parts, military surplus items, antiques, collectible knives and other edged weapons, training classes for gun safety, and so much more. My guess is that most of the supervisors have not attended a gun show at all and have no idea what they are all about. !

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