October 9, 2006

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino and New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg held a press conference October 5 to announce the expansion of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition (MAIG) to 109 mayors in 44 states across the country. Bloomberg and Menino were joined today by Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone and Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline for the announcement at Boston’s city hall.

The mayors in the coalition represent every region of the United States and include Republicans, Democrats and Independents. The expansion of the coalition builds upon the original group of 15 mayors, who convened in April for the first Mayors’ Summit on Illegal Guns.

Bloomberg and Menino also announced the launch of the Coalition’s website www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org. The website provides a range of information on the illegal gun issue including best practices and state and federal legislative efforts.

This fall, the cities of Atlanta, Boston and Chicago will host regional working groups designed to encourage a dialogue among regional senior city officials and improve inter-city coordination in the fight against illegal guns. Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley will host the first working group in Chicago October 26. Menino will host a working group in Boston November 9, and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin will host a working group in Atlanta November 30. Each of these sessions is designed to lead into a January 2007 summit, which will kick-off the coalition’s first full calendar year of work together.

“We need to stand together in saying that the federal government has gutted the essential programs that cities need to keep their residents safe and make it clear that we will not allow our streets to turn into war zones,” Menino said.

“More than 100 mayors across our country have stood up to say, enough is enough – illegal guns don’t belong on our streets,” said Bloomberg. “These mayors recognize that public safety is not a partisan issue. Illegal guns know no borders and are not confined to one city, one state or one region Illegal guns have nothing to do with the Second Amendment. This isn’t about ideology – it’s about law enforcement.”

Each of the 109 mayors signed the Statement of Principles, which was created during the April Summit. The Statement of Principles outlines a commitment to increase enforcement of gun laws; increase penalties for criminals who possess, use, and traffic in illegal guns; oppose federal efforts to restrict cities’ right to access, use, and share trace data; develop technologies that aid in the detection and tracing of illegal guns; support local, state, and federal legislation that targets illegal guns; share information and best practices to coordinate legislative, enforcement, and litigation strategies; and continue to expand the effort to other cities across the country.

“Gun control issues are usually debated in the legislatures of our country. But, as mayors, we’re the ones directly responsible for the safety and welfare of our residents. And illegal guns are threatening the welfare of people across the United States, so it’s right that mayors nationwide are taking a stand to make a difference. That’s why Dearborn supports MAIG,” said Conference President Dearborn Mayor Michael A. Guido.