This morning, I visited the park next to GESA Stadium in Pasco, WA and I found 2 of these signs. Since this is a City park (public property) forbidding firearms is in violation of Washington RCW 9.41.290 State Preemption.

This is a city violating WA State Law and no matter where you live in Washington, this should concern you. To write council members, find their email addresses here.

For referencing WA State Preemption go to:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9.41.290

Likely just an old sign... Vancouver still has some up too... They slowly are replacing them... As they get old, break and or are vandalized.

??????

Before a huge letter writing campaign, have you tried calling the City Attorney? Maybe an oversight?

This happened in Lacy and Pierce county. just email them, include SAF in your email, and reference similar situations(Oak Harbor, Seattle, and a few more you can find on ocdo.org). Post your email here and let's see how they react. Oh yeah, Centralia just went through this a few weeks ago with their city policy that was not inline with state preemption.

I have been in contact with the Mayor of Pasco. His reply to my initial email was:

Butch,

Be advised Pasco repealed its local ordinance several years ago and discussion by council, if I remember correctly, included the recognition that signage would be updated as they wear out and/or staff would look at reasonable cost augmentation if possible. It's simply a matter of cost--not that the city isn't compliant. You, myself, and others can carry in parks. In fact, I believe the vote to repeal was unanimous as well. You may want to review the archive of council meetings at the city website.

Matt Watkins
Lifetime Supporter of the 2nd, All Other Amendments, and the Constitution

~~~~~

I responded with:

Mayor Watkins,

Thanks for your reply.
HOWEVER, your police department has been contacted by multiple activists this week and representatives of the Pasco, WA police department insist that the sign is correct and the police will enforce it. One representative even cited RCW 9.41.300 as justification for banning guns in Pasco Parks!

I am dyslexic, not stupid. RCW 9.41.300 explicitly forbids such action :(

We want the signs removed from every park in Pasco and the police retrained. Leaving the signs creates a false image for the citizenry allowing them to wrongly believe the City of Pasco is legally allowed to violate their civil rights. It also creates an unsafe condition for everyone choosing to exercise their right to bear arms while in the parks.

Personally, I do not think the city should be allowed to spend any money on anything until these illegal signs are removed. If it's truly such a financial hardship, I volunteer the services of myself, and other members of our Tri-Cities gun free zones watch group, to gently remove and dispose of all of these illegal signs for the City of Pasco. The city can replace them with non-offending signs as funds become available.

I think by working together (with a list of parks and notifying the police in advance), we can remedy this offensive problem before the Independence Day celebrations.

Butch Elrod

I think "old signs" create a dangerous atmosphere for everyone choosing to exercise their Right to Bear Arms.

Good review. Let us know how it works out. Anyone in the Tri-City area want to help twoclones?

That sign is void....it should have the appropriate municipal code on it for citizens to reference.

It doesn't, therefore it is worthless. I say hit a golf ball at it, put out a cigar on it, dump whisky on it, and set it on fire with an incendiary round. Off camera, of course.

Maybe the signs need a little help with "wearing out"

I agree

What about offering to take a razor to them? Signs seem functional, barring a single word.

Or some stickers?

Seems this would be the most cost effective method of dealing with it.

Or time for an OC bbq.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

'It's simply a matter of cost--not that the city isn't compliant.'

Hey Mayor...how bout we give the guy that mows the grass some white paint and a brush to fix the signs!? Hmmmm?

Don't they have sharpie's in Pasco?? 10 second fix to any such sign!