Gov. Jerry Brown, no friend to gun owners to be sure, declined to sign off on a measure that would have outlawed gun shows at a state-owned exhibit hall known as the Cow Palace.
The bill would have barred sales of guns and ammunition at the Dale City, Calif., site starting in 2020. The Cow Palace typically houses five gun shows per year.
Brown’s veto by no means indicates that he is sympathetic to law-abiding gun owners. More likely, the prospect of lost revenue—California ranks 43rd among all states in terms of its overall fiscal condition. Those who opposed the bill while it was in the Legislature had argued that eliminating gun shows would cost $730,000 in lost fees at the Cow Palace, along with $600,000 in lost sales tax revenue.
This is not the first time legislators have tried to ban gun shows at the Cow Palace. Brown, in a previous term as governor, and former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger have vetoed similar attempts in the past.
If you think the people behind the measure would learn from their mistakes, you’re wrong. The bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, said he will introduce it again next year.
