www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20030731/1045558.asp

And for eveyone too lazy to click the link.

NIAGARA FALLS Legislator proposes gun buy-back program By THOMAS J. PROHASKA News Niagara Bureau 7/31/2003   NIAGARA FALLS - Niagara County Legislator Renae Kimble is proposing that the county look for money to buy guns from street thugs. Kimble, D-Niagara Falls, said she is offering a resolution at Tuesday's Legislature meeting to institute a gun amnesty program in response to the recent rash of homicides and other shootings in Niagara Falls. The hope is to entice owners of illegal guns to turn them in for destruction by police. "The key incentives within this program are complete anonymity for those turning in the guns, financial incentive as part of the buy-back program and the sense of increased safety with these dangerous and oftentimes illegal weapons being taken off of the streets," Kimble said in a statement. Kimble, the only African-American legislator, represents an inner-city district where some of the recent shootings have occurred. The resolution calls on District Attorney Matthew J. Murphy III to seek grants to finance the program. "I'm not aware of any," said Murphy, who added he has assigned a law clerk to search for such grants. "I think it's worth a shot, no pun intended," said Niagara Falls Police Chief Christopher J. Carlin. "If we can get one gun off the street using that method, it's worth it." He said the city has discussed such a program and is inquiring about federal funds. In 1999 and 2000, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under the Clinton administration and Secretary Andrew A. Cuomo tried a gun buy-back program in federally subsidized housing projects. It estimated than 20,000 guns were bought in 80 cities, but cities had to use federal money that otherwise would have been allocated to anti-drug programs to buy the guns. The Bush administration abolished the program in 2001. Carlin said buy-backs and amnesties aren't the same thing. He said not charging someone for illegal weapons possession is a decision only Murphy can make. He also said someone who had used the gun in a crime such as a robbery or a homicide would be able to avoid prosecution by surrendering the gun. "Just doing buy-backs, you get a lot of junk that's sitting in people's attics," Carlin said. Asked about the wisdom of the program, Murphy said: "I don't really have an opinion about it. I'm doing to do some research, whether it's been done in other parts of the country." He said he would consult with area law enforcement officials. Kimble's resolution instructs the county attorney's office to seek information from other communities that may have tried this experiment in the past. She said: "I have been approached by a vast number of constituents and other area residents who are truly scared and are looking to their elected representatives for a solution. The gun amnesty program provides a mechanism which takes guns off the streets, decreasing the opportunity for violent activity from non-law-abiding citizens." Gun buy-back programs first surfaced in the early 1990s. About 30 cities tried them in 1991 and 1992. In many cities, the money ran out before everyone who wanted to surrender a gun could do so. Buffalo bought more than 2,000 guns for $75,000 from citizens who turned them in during a 1993 campaign, but officials said many of the guns either didn't work or came from widows and aging military veterans who were technically holding them illegally. Chautauqua County tried the program in 1997. In a two-week period, 45 guns were turned in, most by senior citizens. The county paid $50 for working guns and $25 for guns that didn't function. In 1999, 659 guns were bought for $100 each during a one-month amnesty in Brooklyn. e-mail: [email protected]

Maybe we should open our own buy back program?

Of course, the most logical approach will never be taken...

If local governments would conduct a 'buy back' program and then auction the collected firearms back to distributors/FFLs for legal resale, not only would they accomplish their 'goal' of reducing illegal guns (reality of what kind of guns they actually get aside) but they could also make a profit on the deal to supplement their budgets.  (at the very least, the program is self-funding)

But then, what do I know?

I must have been out of it in 1997. I lived in Chautauqua county then and had no idea they did a buy back

You know what, if I lived in that area, I would dig up all kinds of non fuctional junk firearms and sell them for a few hundred bucks.

But then again, you know what the trash would do, they could sell their Saturday Night Special's and get a few hundred bucks and buy a Glock or something.  They would consider it a trade up.

Yea, this program sounds like it would work.

i think they offer jack $&(t for money for the used guns .. like 30 bucks or somethin .. tops 50 i heard .. could be wrong .. but anyway .. its never worth it ... one would be better off sellin the parts on ebay minus the reciever of any gun you have .. you can make triple or more than what you could get for a buy back program .. it happens EVERY TIME .. buy backs do nothing more than bring on TOTAL junk and non functioning firearms ... its a proven fact ..

edited to add .. - MOSTLY .. sometimes kids will come in with pistols to trade in for money .. which is worth keeping them out of kids hands ..

PickupDan, I've been saying "maby we should have our own gun buy-back program" for years.
As a service to the community and my own finincal independence I have in place a program, wheras I purchase firearms from individuals who can no longer afford to care and feed them, and at a small margin for handling, I place them with well screened good homes. After all, "It's for the children"
There is a guy up here who maintains an ad in the Pennysaver wanting to buy Militaria onr piece to an estate....you ought to see the stuff that come out of the woodwork.