This does make sense to me seeing
where it all started. Now it seems that Mayor
Daley and Gov Hot Rod will be possibly costing
Illinois about 500 jobs if this happens. Now
isn't that just smart? That's it you 2 cost us
all more loss of work so we can blame you even
more than we do now! The people of Illinois need
jobs and that is a fact! Lack of common sense in
the Mayors office and the Governors office seems
to be of the norm these days between these 2
fools. What do all of you think?? Good Job Mayor
Dick and Gov Hot Rod! The people of Illinois
want to thank you for possibly putting 500 more
people closer to being out of work and one step
closer to the poor house!
Friday, March 03, 2006
Gun makers say they'll
leave state if weapons ban OK'd
By Kurt Erickson
kurt.erickson@lee.net
SPRINGFIELD - Several Illinois gun manufacturers
said Wednesday they will pack up and leave
Illinois if state lawmakers approve a ban on
assault weapons.
The threats came as a House panel approved
legislation to ban the weapons, even though the
proposal's prospects appear bleak in the Senate
following comments earlier this week by Senate
President Emil Jones, D-Chicago.
In a press conference before the House Executive
Committee's 9-3 vote in favor the ban, the gun
makers said they would pull up stakes and take
750 jobs with them if the ban is OK'd.
(Click on read more .......or click this
link to read the story from the
Pantagraph )
"If this passes, we're out of town," said Dennis
Reese, co-owner of Springfield Armory in Geneseo,
one of four gun makers located in the Rock River
Valley town of 6,400 residents.
"Our only course of action would be moving out
of state," added Mark Westrom, president of
ArmaLite Inc., another Geneseo gun manufacturer.
The sparring comes after Gov. Rod Blagojevich
said in his State of the State speech last month
that reinstating the expired federal ban on
certain kinds of military-style weapons was one
of his top priorities in this spring's
legislative session.
But Jones, in comments earlier in the week, said
he doubts the measure will come up for a vote in
the Senate because it is too contentious.
Despite its apparently dim prospects, state Rep.
Edward Acevedo, D-Chicago, pushed the
legislation through the House Executive
Committee. The measure could come up for a vote
on the House floor this week.
An attempt last year to move the ban through the
House failed to receive enough votes.
Gun makers and their state lawmakers argued that
they operate legal businesses that are subject
to tough state and federal requirements.
Westrom said the state should concentrate on
catching criminals, rather than on banning guns.
"The arms manufacturers of Illinois and their
customers are not the problem," Westrom said.
Along with Springfield Armory and ArmaLite,
other companies involved in fighting the ban
include Lewis Machine & Tool of Moline, Les Baer
Custom Inc. of Hillsdale and Rock River Arms
Inc. of Colona.
State lawmakers on both sides of aisle vowed to
help block the ban.
"The State of Illinois has almost become an
enemy of my district," said state Sen. Mike
Jacobs, D-East Moline.
"We will fight this with everything we have,"
added state Sen. Todd Sieben, R-Geneseo.
The legislation is House Bill 2414.
