cuchulainn
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from the Whittier Daily News
http://www.whittierdailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,207~12026~1418828,00.html
http://www.whittierdailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,207~12026~1418828,00.html
Ban on Shotgun sales assailed
By Ben Baeder , Staff Writer
SOUTH EL MONTE -- For 50 years, the Whittier Narrows Triple B Clays shooting range has sold top-brand shotguns while serving as a practice facility for the U.S. National Shotgun Team, as well as amateur enthusiasts of the sport.
"If you're going to train somewhere around here, this is the place,' said Randy Sotowa, a member of the U.S. team.
But since April 30, Triple B has stopped selling shotguns, by order of the county of Los Angeles, which has imposed a 1999 county law barring the sale of firearms on property it owns or leases.
Because Triple B's owners sublease the property on Rosemead Boulevard within the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area from the county, officials say the law applies to the shooting range.
Triple B's owners, in response, have filed a claim against the county, seeking $13 million in damages.
"It's like going to a golf shop that does not sell golf clubs,' Bruce Barsotti, one of Triple B's three owners, said as he stood in the pro shop in front of rows and rows of empty gun racks.
According to a financial report from a private accountant hired by Triple B's owners, gun sales account for the company's largest source of revenue. Losing its ability to sell shotguns decreases the company's value from $15 million to about $2 million, the report states.
In 1999, the Board of Supervisors banned gun sales on county property in response to reports that illegal sales of assault rifles and handguns were taking place at guns shows at Fairplex in Pomona, which is owned by the county.
However, the county did not enforce the ban at Triple B until this year.
County officials did not say why they waited until April to enforce the ban.
Calls to Larry Hafetz, an attorney for the county, were not returned.
Joel Bellman, a spokesman for supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, said the issue is a philosophical one. He said the supervisor believes the county should not lease property to businesses that profit from gun sales, while at the same time funding gun-violence prevention programs.
"The main thing is that we've got a (Los Angeles County-funded) gun-violence enforcement program, and we have a problem that the county is a profit partner on the sale of guns on county property,' he said. "We've got to count the consequences of our actions.'
But Eric Oto, an attorney representing Triple B, said the shooting range's owners bought the business based on their ability to sell guns, and now that has changed.
He also said it isn't accurate to equate the $700-to-$20,000 hunting shotguns sold at Triple B to the type of cheap handguns used in street crimes.
There is no evidence that any illegal gun trading has taken place at the range, Oto added.
Oto said a county claims board will soon make a decision regarding Triple B's claim.
"We're still hoping to work something out,' Oto said. "We still hope this won't have to be an adversarial proceeding.'
In February, Great Western Shows, which formerly put on gun shows at the county fairgrounds in Pomona, received a $1.6 million settlement from the county after the gun sales ban caused it to cancel shows.
-- Ben Baeder can be reached at (562) 698-0955, Ext. 3024, or by e-mail at [email protected] .
Copyright © 2003 Whittier Daily News
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