Using Tarpon Springs Tax Dollars for a Gun Buy Back.

Monday night at the Tarpon Springs candidate forum the question was asked about the City offering a gun buy back program.

It was suggested that City dollars could be used to do this.  I stated that a few years ago my father in law passed away and I called Tarpon PD and arranged to have his gun destroyed as well as a few boxes of ammunition.   There was no charge to me and it was a voluntary process.  

I do not believe that tax dollars should be used for this.  Read an article entitled "Tampa Police Collect 1,000 guns at gun Buy back event."  "Tampa Bay Times, 2/27/13.  

In the article it states that the Tampa Bay Lightning donated $12,500 and the Curtis Foundation donated $5,000 to do this buy back.  It shows in this article what has been proven in other buy backs,  most of the weapons are non functioning and very few are actually a danger to the public.  

While I am not against the gun buy backs I am against using tax payer dollars to buy the guns.  

In other buy backs,  theater tickets and other things have been donated by a concerned community and yes I feel that is the appropriate way to handle a buy back.  

I am a gun owner and I believe in gun owner rights but I also have found it quite painless and at no cost to me to have a weapon removed and destroyed by Tarpon PD.  If someone has a similar situation, I suggest they should not be motivated by money to have the gun removed.

Timothy Keffalas

Candidate for Tarpon Springs City Commissioner, Seat 4.